What is the `picture` element and when to use it

The picture element is a responsive image container that offers a flexible way to define various image sources. It is particularly useful for serving different images based on various conditions such as screen size, screen resolution, or media queries. This allows developers to optimize images for different devices, improving load times and providing a better user experience.

You should use the picture element when:

  • You want to serve multiple image sources for different screen sizes or resolutions.
  • You need to provide alternative images for art direction (different compositions for different viewports).
  • You are looking to improve performance on mobile devices by delivering appropriately sized images.

Here is an example of how to use the picture element:

<picture>
  <source media="(min-width: 800px)" srcset="large-image.jpg"></source>
  <source media="(min-width: 400px)" srcset="medium-image.jpg"></source>
  <img src="small-image.jpg" alt="Example Image">
</picture>

Keywords: picture element responsive images HTML web development art direction