SVGN vs. SVGO: A Comparison
svgn
is a native Rust port of svgo
, the popular JavaScript-based SVG optimizer. While svgn
aims for functional parity and API compatibility with svgo
, there are fundamental differences stemming from their underlying technologies (Rust vs. JavaScript) that impact performance, deployment, and ecosystem integration.
Key Differences
Feature | SVGN (Rust) | SVGO (JavaScript) |
---|---|---|
Language | Rust | JavaScript (Node.js) |
Performance | Generally faster due to Rust’s native execution and memory management. Ideal for CPU-bound tasks. | Good performance, but limited by JavaScript runtime overhead. |
Memory Usage | Lower memory footprint due to Rust’s ownership model and lack of garbage collector. | Higher memory usage due to JavaScript’s garbage collection and runtime. |
Ecosystem | Integrates seamlessly with Rust projects and the Cargo ecosystem. | Integrates with Node.js projects and the npm/Yarn ecosystem. |
Deployment | Compiles to native executables, WebAssembly (WASM), or can be used as a library. | Requires Node.js runtime for execution. Browser usage requires bundling. |
Concurrency | Leverages Rust’s strong concurrency primitives for potential parallel processing of SVG optimization tasks. | Primarily single-threaded, though asynchronous operations are common. |
Error Handling | Rust’s robust type system and Result /Option enums enforce explicit error handling at compile time. | Relies on exceptions and runtime error handling. |
Binary Size | Native executables can be larger due to static linking, but WASM output can be compact. | Smaller package size, but requires Node.js runtime. |
Use Cases | High-performance backend services, desktop applications, CLI tools, WASM in browsers. | Web development workflows, build tools, Node.js applications, browser-based optimization (with bundling). |
CLI Compatibility | Full drop-in replacement for SVGO CLI with identical syntax and behavior. | Original implementation. |
Plugin Support | 46/53 plugins implemented (87% coverage), 1 disabled due to CSS parsing. | All 53 plugins available. |
Functional Parity
svgn
has achieved substantial functional parity with svgo
v4.0.0:
- Plugin Coverage: 46 out of 53 plugins (87%) have been successfully ported, including all commonly used optimization plugins.
- CLI Compatibility: Full command-line compatibility achieved -
svgn
can be used as a drop-in replacement forsvgo
CLI. - Test Coverage: 359 tests passing (100% success rate), including SVGO compatibility tests achieving 93.75% parity.
- Configuration Mapping:
svgn
’s configuration structure (SvgnConfig
) directly maps tosvgo
’s configuration object.
Current Implementation Status
Implemented (46 plugins):
- All basic optimization plugins (removeComments, removeDoctype, etc.)
- Numeric and value cleaners (cleanupNumericValues, cleanupListOfValues)
- Attribute processors (sortAttrs, removeAttrs, cleanupAttrs)
- Style handlers (convertColors, convertStyleToAttrs, minifyStyles)
- Structural optimizers (collapseGroups, removeHiddenElems)
- Security plugins (removeScripts, removeRasterImages)
- Transform handlers (removeUselessTransforms)
Not Yet Implemented (7 plugins):
- applyTransforms (applies transforms to coordinates)
- convertTransform (transform matrix optimization)
- inlineStyles (CSS inlining)
- mergePaths (path merging)
- moveElemsAttrsToGroup/moveGroupAttrsToElems (attribute movement)
- removeUselessStrokeAndFill (style cascade analysis)
- reusePaths (path deduplication)
When to Choose SVGN?
Consider using svgn
if:
- You require maximum performance for SVG optimization, especially for large batches of files or in performance-critical environments.
- You are working within a Rust ecosystem and prefer a native solution without Node.js dependencies.
- You plan to deploy SVG optimization to WebAssembly (WASM) for client-side or edge computing scenarios.
- You value strong type safety and compile-time error checking.
- You need a drop-in CLI replacement for SVGO with enhanced features like better STDIN/STDOUT handling.
-
- The 48 currently implemented plugins cover your optimization needs.
When to Choose SVGO?
svgo
remains an excellent choice if:
- You are already heavily invested in the Node.js/JavaScript ecosystem.
- Your performance requirements are met by
svgo
’s current capabilities. - You require one of the 3 plugins not yet implemented in
svgn
. - You need immediate access to the latest
svgo
features and plugins as they are released. - You prefer the flexibility and rapid development cycles often associated with JavaScript.
Ultimately, the choice between svgn
and svgo
depends on your specific project requirements, performance needs, and technology stack preferences.