| Extension | .xbm |
| Category | images |
| Description | XBM is an image format where the source contains image data in the form of plain binary text. The pixels of the bitmap image support different shades of a single color. XBM images were originally created as a format for storing icons and cursors displayed on the Graphical User Interface of the UNIX-based X Windows System. As an extension of the C programming language, XBM can be easily integrated directly into a graphics application code. The image data in XBM is stored as comma-separated strings of 4-character length, with each 4-character portion representing an 8-bit memory space. |
| Technical details | Quite similar to PBM files, the XBM format strictly supports monochrome bitmap images. While XBM can store several single color shades, most XBM images are black and white. Some files in the XBM format use the .bm extension instead of .xbm. XBM format has waned in popularity, with the XPM format – an extended version of the former – taking its place. Despite this, XBM still sees use in the Graphical User Interface of some software programs for storing cursors, icons, and selection buttons. XBM files can be read directly by a C-language decoding program, unlike other image files that require a graphical viewer or editing program to access their data content. |
