Chapter 1. Getting Started

SVG, which stands for Scalable Vector Graphics, is an application of XML that makes it possible to represent graphic information in a compact, portable form. Interest in SVG is growing rapidly, and tools to create and view SVG files are already available from major companies. This chapter begins with a description of the two major systems of computer graphics, and describes where SVG fits into the graphics world. The chapter concludes with a brief example that uses many of the concepts that we will explore in detail in the following chapters.