Using pngquant to Compress PNG Images (with examples)
Code Examples
- Compress a specific PNG as much as possible and write result to a new file:
pngquant path/to/file.png
- Compress a specific PNG and override original:
pngquant --ext .png --force path/to/file.png
- Try to compress a specific PNG with custom quality (skip if below the min value):
pngquant --quality 0-100 path/to/file.png
- Compress a specific PNG with the number of colors reduced to 64:
pngquant 64 path/to/file.png
- Compress a specific PNG and skip if the file is larger than the original:
pngquant --skip-if-larger path/to/file.png
- Compress a specific PNG and remove metadata:
pngquant --strip path/to/file.png
- Compress a specific PNG and save it to the given path:
pngquant path/to/file.png --output path/to/file.png
- Compress a specific PNG and show progress:
pngquant --verbose path/to/file.png
1: Compress a specific PNG as much as possible and write result to a new file
Motivation: Reduce the file size of a PNG image as much as possible.
Explanation: This command uses the default settings of pngquant, which aim to achieve maximum compression without compromising image quality. The resulting compressed image will be saved as a new file.
Example Output: The original file.png with a size of 500KB is compressed to file-fs8.png with a size of 200KB.
2: Compress a specific PNG and override original
Motivation: Reduce the file size of a PNG image and replace the original image file.
Explanation: This command compresses the specified PNG image using the default settings of pngquant and overrides the original file with the compressed version.
Example Output: The original file.png with a size of 500KB is compressed and replaced with file.png, which now has a size of 200KB.
3: Try to compress a specific PNG with custom quality (skip if below the min value)
Motivation: Customize the desired level of compression for a PNG image.
Explanation: By specifying a custom quality range (0-100), this command allows you to set the compression level of the PNG image. If the resulting compressed image falls below the minimum quality value, the image will not be compressed.
Example Output: The original file.png with a size of 500KB is compressed to file-fs8.png with a size of 300KB, as the image quality falls within the specified range.
4: Compress a specific PNG with the number of colors reduced to 64
Motivation: Reduce the number of colors in a PNG image to achieve a smaller file size.
Explanation: This command reduces the number of colors in the specified PNG image to 64. By reducing the color palette, the resulting compressed image will have a smaller file size.
Example Output: The original file.png with a size of 500KB is compressed to file-fs8.png with a size of 250KB, as the number of colors is reduced to 64.
5: Compress a specific PNG and skip if the file is larger than the original
Motivation: Avoid compressing an image that would result in a larger file size.
Explanation: This command checks if the resulting compressed image would have a larger file size than the original image. If the compressed image would be larger, then no compression is applied, and the original image is preserved.
Example Output: The original file.png with a size of 500KB is not compressed, and the file size remains the same.
6: Compress a specific PNG and remove metadata
Motivation: Remove metadata from a PNG image to reduce file size and protect privacy.
Explanation: PNG images often contain metadata such as EXIF data, which may not be necessary for displaying an image. This command removes all metadata present in the specified PNG image, resulting in a smaller file size.
Example Output: The original file.png with a size of 500KB is compressed and metadata is removed, resulting in file-fs8.png with a size of 250KB.
7: Compress a specific PNG and save it to the given path
Motivation: Specify a different output path for the compressed PNG image.
Explanation: This command compresses the specified PNG image and saves the compressed version to the specified output path. This allows you to organize the compressed images separately from the original images.
Example Output: The original file.png with a size of 500KB is compressed and saved as compressed/file.png with a size of 200KB.
8: Compress a specific PNG and show progress
Motivation: Track the progress of the compression process.
Explanation: This command displays a progress bar and additional information about the compression process while compressing the specified PNG image. It provides feedback to the user, indicating that the compression is in progress.
Example Output: The command displays a progress bar and updates the user on the compression process, showing details such as the percentage completed, elapsed time, and estimated remaining time.
By utilizing the pngquant command with the provided code examples, you can effectively compress PNG images, reducing their file size while maintaining acceptable image quality. Whether you want to achieve maximum compression, customize the compression settings, or skip compression for larger files, pngquant provides a versatile solution for image optimization.
