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Favicon - the term literally translates as "favorite icon" - is considered one of the most complex elements of modern web design. This is a small image that is located in the browser tab, in the search bar and other places, and plays an important role in the personalization of the site.
Due to its non-standard format and small size, creating a favicon can be challenging, both from a technical and design point of view.
An equally difficult task is ensuring favicon compatibility with different browsers.
In this article you will learn how to make a favicon - we will give design tips and tell you about services for creating a favicon, and how to add a favicon to the site.
What is a favicon and why is it needed?
Despite the fact that a favicon is a very small graphic object, it is extremely important in website design and in general.
Click to enlarge the picture.
Firstly, A favicon makes your site more personalized and consistent with other graphic elements, such as a logo.
Secondly , a favicon distinguishes your site from other web resources in the search results list. A site without this mini-icon will look dull and lose to competitors. In a word, a favicon is simply a “must have” for websites.
Third , a favicon allows the user to quickly find your site in the directory of bookmarks or other icons on the desktop.
Creating a favicon design
The favicon should reflect the essence and brand in a tiny sign the size of a smiley face. A simplified version of the company logo would be a good solution, but keep in mind: a full-fledged logo with text and trademarks is not suitable for this purpose.
These websites use a graphic of their brand (or at least something similar to it).
Don't use text
You should avoid using text, because due to the small size of the favicon, the inscriptions will be unreadable. Place 1, maximum 2 letters on the icon - for example, the first ones in the name of your company or web resource; in this case they can still be distinguished.
Favicon pixelation
Favicons are so small that every pixel matters. Often, when you make a full-size logo smaller, the image appears blurry.
This is a fragment of the full-size Facebook logo after it was reduced to 32x32 size. It is easy to notice that the image “floats” around the edges. To avoid such a defect, editing should be done at the pixel level.
When working with icons, I prefer to use raster image editing programs (such as Photoshop or Pixelmator). First, I scale down the full-size logo to 64x64 pixels because that's the largest favicon I'll need. The work is very painstaking, it can take a whole hour, or even two, but the result is simply excellent.
If you do not have the time and skills for such operations, it is better to use online services such as Logotizer.ru
Favicon size
Having received a 64x64 icon, I create icons of 32x32, 24x24 and 16x16 pixels in the same way. Each of them has its own purpose:
– 64×64 – “Reading List” in Safari and Windows
– 24×24 – Pinned sites in IE9.
– 32×32 – For high resolution screens.
– 16x16 – Typically used in browsers such as IE, Safari, Chrome, etc.
But creating smaller favicons doesn't stop there: additional editing is often required at the pixel level. You can also add an alpha channel if you see fit. If this previously caused difficulties, now almost all browsers support transparency in favicons.
Favicon formats
Previously, when only Windows ICO files were supported, we could save time by saving the 16x16 favicon as a GIF and giving it the .ico extension. This technique worked flawlessly! But now this method is not necessary as tools for creating ICO files can be easily found on the Internet. Moreover, and are now used for favicons, but the most common are still only the following two.
ICO
The palm belongs to the ICO format. Unlike PNG files, ICO files can come in different resolutions and bit depths (which is great for Windows). Internet Explorer uses favicons of various sizes (for example, 32 pixel taskbar icons in Windows 7), and therefore the ICO format is the only option in this case.
PNG files are very convenient because you don't need any special tools to create them. This format supports an alpha channel and allows you to create very small files. Perhaps the only drawback of the PNG format is that it is not supported in the Internet Explorer browser.
There are other options:
– GIF and animated GIF formats have no advantages other than compatibility with very old browsers.
– JPG format is not recommended, even if the image is in the form of a photograph. This format lacks the sharpness of PNG, and its only advantage is smoother transitions between colors - a nuance that is completely unnoticeable in a very small image.
– SVG could be a great option if more browsers supported favicons in this format. For now, there is only compatibility with Opera.
– There is also a so-called “sub-format” of PNG – APNG (animated PNG), which is supported in Firefox and Opera. However, the feasibility of its use remains questionable. An animated favicon can be distracting and even annoying to the user.
Create an online favicon – tools and online services
We have selected for you the most useful services that will help you create an online favicon.
Logotizer
Logotizer is a new, simple and convenient service for creating a favicon and logo for your website.
With this online maker you can create a favicon from scratch. The service is aimed at beginners, so developing a good design will not be difficult.
How to create a favicon using the Logotizer online generator
The main work area is on the left. On the right you can see how the favicon will look on different media - a browser tab, a computer taskbar, or a smartphone screen. Very convenient and clear.
First, you should choose a shape for the favicon. There are a lot of them, more than 50. We advise you to choose simple and uncomplicated forms to make the favicon easy to perceive and remember.
At this stage, you also determine the color of the form, which goes as the background of the favicon, and select a frame. Look at what color dominates your logo (if you have one) and what colors are the main ones on your website. It is within this range that we recommend creating a favicon design.
Below the “Shape” block there is a collection of shapes (symbols). There are not many of them, it’s a pity that you can’t upload your own options; but the choice is still quite interesting.
Change the color, size, location of the figures! In a word, experiment, fortunately, the service allows you to do this.
Once the shape is selected, you can add your own text. As I wrote earlier, it is better to use 1 or 2 letters, no more.
There is an extensive selection of fonts. This is definitely a plus. As with shapes, you can change the color, size, and placement of text.
If you decide that some favicon layer is temporarily bothering you or is not needed at all, you can simply hide it.
After creating a favicon, the service will offer to save it. Register an account (in 2017 there is no way without registration), and after that you can download files for a small payment - 199 rubles.
The site also contains small instructions on how to add a favicon to the site, so you should not have any problems adding a favicon to the site. Similar recommendations are also provided below in this article.
After payment, the user immediately receives 10 favicons of different sizes for all devices needed today (Apple touch icon, Microsoft Application Icons and others).
The favicon.ico file itself is multi-sized and contains icons of 4 sizes in 1 file (16px, 24px, 32px, 64px). Accordingly, if you add a site to your browser bookmarks or open your history, you will be able to see icons of different sizes, but they will be displayed clearly and without blur.
Overall the service is good. Simple, convenient, nothing superfluous.
RealFaviconGenerator.net
is a simpler favicon generator that allows you to create favicons for any platform. Moreover, you can test the favicon on the resource. Enter your site's URL and you'll see what your favicon looks like on every browser and operating system. Real Favicon Generator will also tell you how to fix the flaws and make your favicon even better.
Favicon.by
Favicon.by is another free and easy-to-use favicon generator that converts PNG, JPG and GIF files to .ico format. Upload an image from your computer, select a size (16x16px or 32x32px) and click on the “Create” button. To save the resulting favicon on your website, follow the instructions.
The service also makes it possible to draw a logo pixel by pixel, but, to be honest, not everyone can do this. For example, I couldn’t. That's how crooked I am :)
How to add a favicon to a website
You can add a favicon to your site by making a few changes to the HTML code of the site page.
Step 1: Upload the “favicon.ico” file to your hosting server.
To do this, go to your FTP server using this link:
ftp:// [email protected]
Enter your username and password. These can be obtained from your hosting company's admin panel.
Upload favicon files to the root directory. The root directory is usually called “public_html” or “www”.
Step 2: Add a favicon to the HTML.
Keeping the FTP server window open, download the “index.html” or “header.php” file.
Then you need to download the code. The code you download depends on your website.
If your site is in HTML, find the HEAD area in the index.html file and paste the following code:
If your site is on WordPress, find the HEAD area in the header.php file and paste the following code:
/favicon.ico" />
Using these codes, browsers will be able to find your favicons.
So, you've installed your favicon!
How to Add a Favicon on WordPress and Other Platforms
If your resource is based on WordPress or another CMS, then adding a favicon to the site is very simple. In general, the algorithm for adding a favicon for different platforms will be the same.
1. You need to go to the site console.
2. Find the “Design” or “Appearance” section.
3. Go to the “Theme Settings” section and find “Favicon” there.
4. Upload the favicon from your computer.
5. Save and refresh the page.
How to create more complex favicons
This article discusses simple and quick ways to create favicons that are compatible with almost any browser and operating system. But when it comes to web design and development, the sky is the limit. If you want to learn how to make more complex favicons, touch icons for iOS home screens, icons for the Metro interface in Windows, icons for Google TV and much more, I recommend that you check out these materials: favicon cheat sheet. It contains complete information on the topic and provides good sources. This is a great option for those designers and developers (myself included) who are constantly looking to expand their knowledge.
With Favico.js you can create dynamic favicons with numbers.
You may also need a dynamic favicon, which has an icon with a changing number. To create such favicons, I recommend using the service favico.js, available on Github. Dynamic favicons are not yet compatible with all browsers. But for those browsers that support them, these icons can be an interesting and useful addition.
If you would like to add another tip to this article or have a question, please leave a comment below!
How to create a favicon for a website - tips and services updated: February 7, 2018 by: admin
Now a personal site icon - Favicon - is a kind of business card of any web resource. This icon highlights the desired portal not only in the list of browser tabs, but also, for example, in the Yandex search results. Favicon, as a rule, does not perform any other functions other than increasing site awareness.
Creating an icon for your own resource is quite simple: you find a suitable picture or draw it yourself using a graphics editor, and then compress the image to the desired size - usually 16x16 pixels. Save the resulting result to the favicon.ico file and place it in the root folder of the site. But this procedure can be significantly simplified using one of the Favicon generators available on the Internet.
Most web icon editors offer all the necessary tools for creating Favicons. In this case, it is not necessary to draw a picture from scratch - you can use a ready-made image.
Method 1: Favicon.by
Russian-language online favicon generator: simple and visual. Allows you to draw an icon yourself using the built-in 16x16 canvas and a minimal list of tools, such as a pencil, eraser, eyedropper and fill. There is a palette with all RGB colors and transparency support.
If you wish, you can upload a finished image to the generator - from your computer or a third-party web resource. The imported image will also be placed on the canvas and will be available for editing.
As a result, you get a graphic ICO file called favicon and a resolution of 16x16 pixels. This icon is already ready to be used as an icon for your website.
Method 2: X-Icon Editor
An HTML5 browser application that allows you to create detailed icons up to 64x64 pixels in size. Unlike the previous service, X-Icon Editor has more drawing tools and each of them can be flexibly configured.
As in Favicon.by, here you can upload a finished image to the site and convert it into a favicon, editing it properly if necessary.
If you want to preserve the details of an image that you intend to turn into a favicon, X-Icon Editor is great for this. The ability to generate icons with a resolution of 64x64 pixels is the main advantage of this service.
Agava is one of the oldest hosting companies, providing hosting services since 2001. Agava, in terms of the number of clients, is one of the ten most popular hosting services on the Runet; see statistics on acquisitions and losses of .RU domains. The company has its own modern data center in Moscow - “Agava-North”; for tariff plans of the Euro line, servers located in the data center in Prague are used. The company has a license to provide telematic communication services.
Agava boasts a plethora of pricing plans. Since hosting is provided both on the platform and, accordingly, Unix and Windows hosting plans are available for ordering. If we talk about tariffs, they differ not only in the number of available databases or parked domains, but also in different restrictions on the use of memory and processor time. This allows you to choose the best tariff depending on traffic and the site’s demands on server resources. There are tariffs of the same plan for.
The process of ordering hosting is somewhat complicated due to the amount of information that must be entered into the order form. In my opinion, all this can be greatly simplified.
Free trial period.
The trial period is 7 days, available only for tariffs on the Windows platform, the trial period is not provided.
There are a number of restrictions during the test period:
- Mail is not available;
- SSH is not available;
- It is not possible to add additional domains;
- Only one subdomain is allowed;
- Only one MySQL database is allowed.
However, in addition to this, in order to start using a test account, you must also confirm, via SMS, the mobile phone number entered during registration or provide a scan of your passport. Confirmation via SMS is available only for Russian mobile operators. It’s not clear why all these delays are needed?
Control Panel.
On virtual Unix hosting, standard CPanel is used to manage the site and hosting. On Windows hosting, Plesk is used for management. Both panels have a Russian interface and allow you to quite effectively manage all available hosting options. Below you can see English versions of these panels.
Technical capabilities of Agava virtual hosting.
It is not possible to track from the hosting control panel what load the site creates on the server. The server load limits vary and depend on the hosting plan.
Agave(agava.ru) is the oldest Russian hosting provider; it currently serves about 30,000 clients and provides a full range of services: virtual Unix/Windows hosting, VDS and dedicated servers. The company's staff is more than 150 people, and the technical base is its own data center near Moscow, designed according to the latest international standards. However, like any other hosting, Agave is not without some drawbacks. Now about everything in more detail.Test period and PU
The undoubted advantage of Agave is its honest 7 day trial period for virtual hosting and VDS. In this case, you can choose the location of the server - Moscow or Prague (Czech Republic), where the company’s second technical site is located. In addition to this, you can test different hosting configurations and choose the optimal plan in terms of performance.Agave is one of the few providers that provides a choice of several proven solutions for managing virtual hosting and servers. These are WHM/cPanel, DirectAdmin, Plesk and ISPmanager (depending on the account type). You can check the functionality of your configuration with any control panel, and for UNIX-VDS you can additionally choose between CentOS and Debian distributions.
Domains
Agava accredited domain name registrar on Russian territory. This means that you can register domains through this company without fear of someone taking or taking them away without your knowledge. However, sometimes it happens that beautiful names suddenly turn out to be registered to other users right before the purchase. Therefore, try to minimize the time between request and payment. The cost of the domains themselves from Agave is not the lowest. The promotional price is valid only for the first year of use, then it increases 3 times (for example, 450 rubles per.RU versus 150 for the first year of use). There are quite a few such “hidden” conditions in Agave contracts, so don’t let your guard down. However, if you do not plan to leave Agave, you can get a free domain, which will remain free for you, subject to annual hosting renewal.
Technical support
The list of ways to contact Agave support is quite extensive: chat, tickets, email, telephone in Moscow and free phone number 8-800 in Russia. Real technical support, of course, is only available through requests from the control panel - but, unfortunately, it leaves much to be desired.Template answers, slowness and inaction in critical situations – this is what distinguishes Agave’s support staff. Hosting is also characterized by the imposition of paid services - any actions of a specialist within your account will cost you a round sum, and payment is charged hourly. What causes dissatisfaction is not even the fact that problems are not resolved promptly, but the very indifferent attitude of employees towards clients.
Conclusion
Agava (agava.ru) was in the past one of the largest Russian hosting providers, whose name was known to every RuNet user. Today, among many other competitive offers, hosting has been “lost” - despite its convenient geographical location and its own staff of technical specialists.I'm on a site that has grown into REG.RU since 2007 (I rented servers, set up my own server, now I just rent space). Before this, I tried at least 8 different hosting providers, but settled on this one. I like the technical support, the speed, and the services. It can be seen that they undergo frequent modernizations, i.e., unlike competitors, they do not stand still.
Eduard at http://ru.hostings.info/reg-ru.htmlWhat I like about Reg.Ru is that there really is a lot to choose from - the hosting is really flexible in terms of user requirements. A variety of tariff plan options at different prices. Plus a guaranteed refund upon request - a good impression. We'll see how it shows itself in terms of reliability, but so far everything seems to be fine, but if it collapses every six months, there will be spots in the sun.
Vladimir at https://hosters.ru/Hello! Everything is very clear. Before I started studying website building on my own, I was told that REG.RU is more reliable, but you already need to be a professional, because... You are a large registrar and it is simply unrealistic to answer everyone’s questions. But I see a completely different picture, and if I ordered my first domain from a hosting provider, now I will do it directly, without fear of errors. And thanks to the links in the answers, I learned a lot of new and useful things. Thanks a lot!
Overall I liked the hosting. Convenient admin panel, adequate support. There are problems with loading files through the panel, it either freezes or is bad. And after changing files in the editor, the changes are not always saved from the first click on the button, a small thing, but still. As for the accessibility of the site, there have been no problems so far.
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Vitaly at http://ru.hostings.info/reg-ru.html
