Bitmap

In computing, a bitmap (also called raster) graphic is an image formed from rows of different colored pixels.

In such a case, the domain in question is the array of pixels which constitute a digital graphic output device (a screen or monitor).

Raster images in general may be referred to as bitmaps or pixmaps, whether synthetic or photographic, in files or memory.

The bits representing the bitmap pixels may be packed or unpacked (spaced out to byte or word boundaries), depending on the format or device requirements.

For an uncompressed, packed-within-rows bitmap, such as is stored in Microsoft DIB or BMP file format, or in uncompressed TIFF format, a lower bound on storage size for a n-bit-per-pixel (2n colors) bitmap, in bytes, can be calculated as: where width and height are given in pixels.

A DIB is normally transported in metafiles (usually using the StretchDIBits() function), BMP files, and the Clipboard (CF_DIB data format).

Here, "device independent" refers to the format, or storage arrangement, and should not be confused with device-independent color.