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VML at a glance
VML
VML emerged as a 1998 W3C submission backed by Microsoft and partners such as Autodesk, Hewlett-Packard, Macromedia, and Visio, reflecting the moment when web graphics standards were still unsettled.
XCF at a glance
XCF
XCF reflects the long history of GIMP as an open-source raster editor with its own native document model rather than as a lightweight clone of consumer image viewers.
Format comparison
| Feature | VML | XCF |
|---|---|---|
| File type | Vector | Image |
| Extensions |
|
|
| MIME type |
|
|
| Created year | 1998 | 1995 |
| Inventor | Microsoft, Macromedia, Autodesk, Hewlett-Packard, Visio | GIMP community |
| Status | legacy | proprietary |
| Transparency | Not supported | Not supported |
| Animation | Not supported | Not supported |
| Primary use cases |
|
|
| Layer support | Not supported | Supported |
| Vector scaling | Supported | Supported |
When to use each format
When to use VML
- Your source file is already in VML.
- Preserve source expectations before exporting to XCF.
- VML is commonly used in vector workflows.
When to use XCF
- Your target workflow expects XCF.
- Improve delivery compatibility with XCF.
- XCF is commonly used in image workflows.
FAQs
Why convert VML to XCF?
Convert to XCF when artwork needs to remain editable in GIMP, especially for layered image editing, compositing, and open-source creative workflows.
It is the right target for preserving GIMP-native editability.
What changes when converting VML to XCF?
This conversion changes how the format behaves in downstream tools and delivery environments.
Moving to XCF adds layer support.
What should I review after converting VML to XCF?
Validate output quality on representative files and confirm the target format behaves correctly in the destination workflow.