ASCII art: choose between TXT, PNG and SVG
Choose TXT to copy characters, PNG to share a pixel-based rendering and SVG for a scalable graphic file. ArtASCII SVG exports retain text, so their font can vary on another device.
Compare outputs
| Format | Preserves | Check |
|---|---|---|
| TXT | Caractères et lignes / characters and lines | Police et largeur / font and width |
| PNG | Pixels du rendu / rendered pixels | Résolution / resolution |
| SVG | Texte graphique / graphic text | Police disponible / available font |
The MDN image-format guide distinguishes raster and vector images. Here, the choice mainly depends on what the recipient needs to do: edit characters, view a fixed drawing or integrate it into a graphic composition.
Example 1: a cat in a README
Choose TXT or Copy as code block. Readers can retrieve and edit the characters. PNG would show the cat without providing its text structure. Put a short description nearby and check that the drawing has a reasonable width in the README.
/\_/\ ( o.o ) > ^ <
Example 2: a card shared as an image
Choose PNG when sharing through an app that does not preserve spaces and you want to keep the pixel rendering. Save TXT too for later editing. A transparent image can disappear against a theme matching its characters: check both light and dark backgrounds. Avoid greatly enlarging a small PNG, which exposes its pixels.
The specific SVG limitation
The engine exports lines in SVG text elements using Courier New, Courier, monospace. It does not convert each glyph to a path. On a device without the same font, shapes or widths may change. Open the file in the destination software and check before printing; “vector” does not mean “embedded font”.
What does not travel with TXT
Background, preview zoom and colour are not part of plain text. Two applications can display the same file differently. No format replaces an accessible description; add alternative text to published images. This guide describes this site’s exports without promising compatibility with every graphics application.