Loading, Please Wait...
Windows Bitmap (BMP) is a raster graphics file format used primarily in the Windows operating system for storing digital images. Developed by Microsoft, BMP files are characterized by their ability to represent images without compression, ensuring high fidelity but often resulting in large file sizes. The format supports various color depths, including monochrome (1-bit), 16-color (4-bit), 256-color (8-bit), and true color (24-bit or 32-bit with alpha channel). Due to its simplicity and widespread compatibility, BMP has been a standard choice for basic image storage and manipulation in Windows environments.
A BMP file consists of multiple components, including a file header, a DIB (Device Independent Bitmap) header, a color palette (for indexed color modes), and the pixel data itself. The file header contains metadata such as file size and type, while the DIB header defines image properties like width, height, color depth, and compression method. Although BMP traditionally stores uncompressed pixel data, newer versions support Run-Length Encoding (RLE) compression for 4-bit and 8-bit images, reducing file size while maintaining integrity. The format employs a bottom-up pixel storage order, meaning the first row of pixels in memory corresponds to the bottom row of the image.
Despite its robustness, BMP is less commonly used for web applications and modern digital workflows due to its large file size compared to compressed formats like JPEG and PNG. However, it remains relevant in specialized applications requiring lossless image quality, such as medical imaging, industrial design, and certain legacy systems. Its straightforward structure makes it easy to process programmatically, ensuring continued use in software development and system-level graphics operations.