Convert PNG to VIPS

The Portable Network Graphics (PNG) file extension, established in 1996, serves as a widely-used raster graphics format that supports lossless data compression. Initially developed as a superior, patent-free replacement for the GIF format, PNG is prevalent in the IT industry for web design, digital photography, and complex graphics due to its capability to handle detailed images with transparent backgrounds and its extensive color range. Known for maintaining high-quality visuals without increasing file size significantly, PNG remains an indispensable tool in professional digital imaging and web development.

The VIPS (Virtual Image Processing System) file format, developed by the libvips library, is designed for high-performance image processing with low memory usage. It supports arbitrary metadata and is optimized for command-line operations. Although not widely supported by other programs, it serves as an efficient intermediate format for tasks like image inversion and gamma correction. The format includes a 64-byte header with basic fields such as image width and a set of band-interleaved scanlines for the image data.