FileGizmo Learn

Plain answers to file questions

Short, honest definitions of the terms behind everyday file work. Every entry ends with a private tool that runs in your browser, so you can act on what you just learned without uploading anything.

PDF

OCR The technology that reads text out of a scanned image or PDF so you can search and copy it. PDF form A PDF with interactive fields you can type into, tick, or select, rather than a flat page.

Image

CMYK vs RGB The difference between the color model screens use and the one printers use, and why colors shift. HEIC Apple's modern photo format that saves space but does not open everywhere. Lossy vs lossless The difference between compression that discards detail to save space and compression that keeps every pixel. WebP A modern image format that makes photos and graphics smaller than JPG or PNG at similar quality.

Data

Base64 A way to represent binary data, like an image, using only plain text characters.

Security and privacy

EXIF data The hidden metadata your camera writes into a photo, including GPS location, device, and timestamp. JWT A compact, signed token that carries claims between a server and an app, used for login and authorization. Metadata The hidden data inside a file that describes it, like author, dates, location, and software used.