Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editor and design program developed and marketed by Adobe Inc. Originally designed for the Apple Macintosh, development of Adobe Illustrator began in 1985. Along with Creative Cloud (Adobe's shift to monthly or annual subscription service delivered over the Internet), Illustrator CC was released. The latest version, Illustrator 2022, was released on October 26, 2021, and is the 25th generation in the product line. Adobe Illustrator was reviewed as the best vector graphics editing program in 2018 by PC Magazine.

Interface Adobe Illustator CS6

Computer graphics fall into two main categories: vector graphics and raster graphics. Understanding the difference between the two helps you create, edit, and import artwork appropriately.

Drawing programs such as Adobe Illustrator create vector graphics, which are composed of lines and curves defined by mathematical objects called “vectors.” Vectors describe a graphic according to its geometric characteristics. For example, a bicycle tire in a vector graphic is drawn using a mathematical equation for a circle with a certain radius, set at a specific location, and filled with a specific color. You can move, resize, or change the color of the tire without losing graphic quality because the underlying equations will compensate for your actions.

A vector graphic is resolution-independent, that is, it can be scaled to any size and printed on any output device at any resolution without losing its detail or clarity. As a result, vector graphics are the best choice for type (especially small type) and bold graphics that must retain crisp lines when scaled to various sizes.