What is raster, vector, metafile, PDL, VRML, and so forth?

What is raster, vector, metafile, PDL, VRML, and so forth?

These terms are used to classify the type of data a graphics file contains.
Raster files
Raster files (also called bitmapped files) contain graphics information
described as pixels, such as photographic images.

Vector
Vector files containdata described as mathematical equations and are typically used to store line art and CAD information.

Metafiles
Metafiles are formats that may contain
either raster or vector graphics data.

Page Description Languages (PDL)
Page Description Languages (PDL)are used to describe the layout of a printed page of graphics and text.

Animation formats are usually collections of raster data that is displayed
in a sequence. Multi-dimensional object formats store graphics data as a
collection of objects (data and the code that manipulates it) that may be
rendered (displayed) in a variety of perspectives. Virtual Reality
Modeling Language (VRML) is a 3D, object-oriented language used for
describing "virtual worlds" networked via the Internet and hyperlinked
within the World Wide Web. Multimedia file formats are capable of storing
any of the previously mentioned types of data, including sound and video
information.