SVG Workflow
View, optimize, and export SVG files in 5 steps
Working with SVGs involves several distinct tasks: inspecting the raw code, stripping out bloat from design tools, exporting to raster formats, preparing preview images, and embedding for web use. This workflow covers all of it in order.
Inspect the SVG source code
Before modifying an SVG, you need to understand its structure — what elements are present, whether it uses IDs or classes, and what metadata was included by the export tool.
Optimize and reduce file size
SVGs exported from Illustrator or Figma contain unnecessary metadata, editor comments, and redundant attributes that can double the file size.
Export as a raster image
Some contexts require PNG or JPEG — email clients, certain CMSs, and social media platforms do not reliably render SVG.
Beautify for presentations or docs
Plain screenshots of SVGs on white backgrounds look unfinished. Adding a background, padding, and shadow makes them presentation-ready.
Encode to Base64 for inline embedding
Embedding SVGs as Base64 data URIs in CSS or HTML eliminates an HTTP request, which is useful for small icons in performance-critical contexts.
Pro Tips
- Always inspect the SVG source first — optimizer tools can sometimes break SVGs with unusual structure or animations.
- Export at 2x or 3x resolution when converting SVG to PNG to keep it sharp on high-DPI screens.
- Base64 encoding increases file size by roughly 33%, so only use it for small icons where eliminating the HTTP request is worth the trade-off.