There is no "source code" in the picture itself. Applying the word "source code" to pictures is a common conceptual confusion. As a so-called concept in technology, "source code" refers to a set of computer instructions written in text form that can be processed by a compiler or interpreter. Typical examples are code files written in programming languages such as Java and Python. Image files (such as JPG and PNG) are binary data that store pixel color and layout information. They are captured by an image sensor or generated by software. Their essence is data, not instruction text that can be read and modified by humans. This confusion may stem from a colloquial and inaccurate representation of "the underlying data of the file".
Why do people ask what the source code of the picture is?
Behind this question, there are generally two realistic needs. One is the curiosity held by technical learners. Some of them may have been exposed to the field of web development and know that web images are called with the help of HTML code, and therefore mistakenly believe that the images themselves also have so-called "source code" with a similar structure. The second is a more practical need, just like when a user browses a web page and sees the special effects diagram or information diagram shown above, hoping to find the original design file that can be used for editing, such as a PSD or SVG format file, etc. The purpose is to be able to make modifications, but the word "source code" is mistakenly used when expressing it. If we can understand the root cause of this confusion, it will be helpful for us to answer questions more accurately or search for the information we really need.
How to obtain or view image composition information
Although the source code of the image does not exist, we can use technical tools to explore its composition data. For ordinary users, right-click the image file and select "Properties" under the Windows system, or right-click the image and select "Show Profile" under the Mac system to view metadata such as size, format, creation time, etc. For developers and in-depth researchers, you can use a hexadecimal editor to view the binary raw data of the file, or use a professional image processing library (such as Python's PIL library) to read and manipulate pixel data. The disclosed methods present the data structure and content of the image, not logical instructions. They are essentially different from the software source code we usually discuss.
What practical problems may be caused by confusing concepts?
At a practical level, this confusion of concepts can lead to inefficient communication and misallocation of resources. For example, a person who is a product manager makes a request to an engineer to "modify the source code of this button image." This will cause the engineer to get confused and delay the corresponding work. What deserves more attention is that it has the possibility of being used to create technical fog, and may even be combined with some commercial hype. Just like before. Behind the news that Tustin closed 907 stores in 90 days , some analysts pointed out that part of the reason was that it relied too much on marketing concepts rather than product essence. The same is true in the technology field. Excessively chasing or exaggerating some "magical concepts" that do not exist (such as finding source codes for pictures) may cause people to ignore the importance of solidly learning basic principles.
For designers or content creators, when you need to modify a finished image, what type of original file do you most want to have (such as PSD, AI source file, or others)? Welcome to share your experiences and opinions in the comment area. If you think this article has clarified the concept, please give it a like and support.
