This specification defines the features and syntax for Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG).
SVG is a language for describing two-dimensional graphics in XML [XML10]. SVG allows for three types of graphic objects: vector graphic shapes (e.g., paths consisting of straight lines and curves), images and text. Graphical objects can be grouped, styled, transformed and composited into previously rendered objects. The feature set includes nested transformations, clipping paths, alpha masks, filter effects and template objects.
SVG drawings can be interactive and dynamic. Animations can be defined and triggered either declaratively (i.e., by embedding SVG animation elements in SVG content) or via scripting.
Sophisticated applications of SVG are possible by use of a supplemental scripting language which accesses SVG Document Object Model (DOM), which provides complete access to all elements, attributes and properties. A rich set of event handlers such as ‘onmouseover’ and ‘onclick’ can be assigned to any SVG graphical object. Because of its compatibility and leveraging of other Web standards, features like scripting can be done on XHTML and SVG elements simultaneously within the same Web page.
SVG is a language for rich graphical content. For accessibility reasons, if there is an original source document containing higher-level structure and semantics, it is recommended that the higher-level information be made available somehow, either by making the original source document available, or making an alternative version available in an alternative format which conveys the higher-level information, or by using SVG's facilities to include the higher-level information within the SVG content. For suggested techniques in achieving greater accessibility, see Accessibility.
SVG 1.1 is a modularization of SVG 1.0 [SVG10]. See the Document Type Definition appendix for details on how the DTD is structured to allow profiling and composition with other XML languages.
The MIME type for SVG is "image/svg+xml" (see XML Media Types [RFC3023]). The registration of this MIME type is in progress at the W3C.
It is recommended that SVG files have the extension
".svg" (all lowercase) on all platforms. It is
recommended that gzip-compressed
[RFC1952]
SVG files have the extension ".svgz" (all
lowercase) on all platforms.
It is recommended that SVG files stored on Macintosh HFS
file systems be given a file type of "svg "
(all lowercase, with a space character as the fourth letter).
It is recommended that gzip-compressed
SVG files stored on Macintosh HFS file systems be given a file
type of "svgz" (all lowercase).
The following are the SVG 1.1 namespace, public identifier and system identifier:
The following is an example document type declaration for an SVG document:
<!DOCTYPE svg PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD SVG 1.1//EN"
"http://www.w3.org/Graphics/SVG/1.1/DTD/svg11.dtd">
Note that DTD listed in the System Identifier is a modularized DTD (i.e. its contents are spread over multiple files), which means that a validator may have to fetch the multiple modules in order to validate. For that reason, there is a single flattened DTD available that corresponds to the SVG 1.1 modularized DTD. It can be found at http://www.w3.org/Graphics/SVG/1.1/DTD/svg11-flat.dtd.
While a DTD is provided in this specification, the use of DTDs for validating XML documents is known to be problematic. In particular, DTDs do not handle namespaces gracefully. It is not recommended that a DOCTYPE declaration be included in SVG documents.
SVG leverages and integrates with other W3C specifications and standards efforts. By leveraging and conforming to other standards, SVG becomes more powerful and makes it easier for users to learn how to incorporate SVG into their Web sites.
The following describes some of the ways in which SVG maintains compatibility with, leverages and integrates with other W3C efforts: