What it does
IconVG is a compact binary format for presenting simple icons, logos, glyphs and emoji in software. It publishes a specification and decoder implementations, while leaving authoring to other tools. The Apache-licensed project is experimental and can change incompatibly.
IconVG belongs after authoring. Keep an editable SVG or another design file, then export a presentation asset for software that supports IconVG. The format leaves out text, scripting, interaction, animation and embedded raster graphics. It also omits authoring structures such as groups; reconstructing the original SVG is not a goal.
The repository provides a C decoder and a low-level Go decoder that emits vector coordinates rather than pixels. Its Dart implementation and the original Go encoder/decoder package target an older, obsolete format version. Match an implementation to the files it will consume.
IconVG remains experimental and may change incompatibly. Rendering is not guaranteed to be pixel-identical across implementations because calculations can round differently. The code is available under Apache 2.0, with the corresponding licence and notice requirements.
Strengths
- A specification and decoder implementations are published.
- The format concentrates on simple vector presentation.
Watch out for
- The experimental format can change incompatibly.
- It excludes text, animation and embedded raster graphics.
- Some supplied implementations target an obsolete format version.
Best for
- Engineers evaluating a compact vector presentation format
Sources
- IconVG README (Oct 27, 2026)
- IconVG Apache License (Oct 27, 2026)