This code snippet represents the element in HTML, used for responsive images. LetS break down what it does:
Purpose:
the element allows you to provide multiple image sources, and the browser will choose the most appropriate one based on factors like screen size (viewport width), pixel density, and image format support. This is crucial for optimizing image delivery and improving page load times,especially on mobile devices.
Components:
Tag: the container for all the image sources.
Tags: Each tag defines a specific image source and the conditions under which it should be used.
srcset Attribute: This is the core of the responsive image functionality. It lists the different image URLs along with their widths (e.g., 100w, 200w, 400w, etc.). The w unit indicates the width of the image in pixels.
type Attribute: Specifies the image format (e.g., image/webp). Browsers that support WebP will prefer it, as it generally offers better compression than JPEG or PNG. sizes Attribute: This is very crucial. It tells the browser how the image will be displayed at different viewport sizes. calc(100vw-20px) means the image will take up 100% of the viewport width minus 20 pixels (likely for padding or margins).
media Attribute: This is a media query. media="(max-width: 767px)" means this tag will onyl be considered if the viewport width is 767 pixels or less. This is a common breakpoint for mobile devices.
Tag: This is the fallback image. If none of the tags match the browser’s conditions, the tag’s src attribute will be used. It’s essential to include this for older browsers that don’t support the element.
How it Works (Browser Selection Process):
- Browser Checks Support: The browser first checks if it supports the
element. - Media Query Evaluation: The browser evaluates the
mediaattribute of eachtag. It selects thetags whose media queries match the current viewport size and other conditions. - Format Preference: Among the matching
tags, the browser chooses the one with the most preferred image format (e.g., WebP if supported). - Width Selection: The browser uses the
sizesattribute to determine how the image will be displayed. It then selects the image from thesrcsetthat is closest in width to the calculated display size. - Fallback: If no
tags match, the browser falls back to thetag’ssrcattribute.
In this specific example:
The code is designed to serve different image sizes based on screen width.
For screens 767px wide or less, it will use the images defined in the first block. For screens wider than 767px, it will use the images defined in the second block.
the images are in WebP format.
The images are cropped to a 16:9 aspect ratio (c16_9 in the URL).
* The sizes attribute suggests the image is