SVG is a language for describing 2D graphics in XML.
Canvas draws 2D graphics, on the fly (with a JavaScript).
SVG is XML based, which means that every element is available within the SVG
DOM. You can attach JavaScript event handlers for an element.
In SVG, each drawn shape is remembered as an object. If attributes of an SVG
object are changed, the browser can automatically re-render the shape.
Canvas is rendered pixel by pixel. In canvas, once the graphic is drawn, it is forgotten by the browser. If its
position should be changed, the entire scene needs to be redrawn, including any
objects that might have been covered by the graphic.
Comparison of Canvas and SVG
The table below shows some important differences between Canvas and SVG:
Canvas
SVG
Resolution dependent
No support for event handlers
Poor text rendering capabilities
You can save the resulting image as .png or .jpg
Well suited for graphic-intensive games
Resolution independent
Support for event handlers
Best suited for applications with large rendering areas (Google Maps)
Slow rendering if complex (anything that uses the DOM a lot will be slow)
Not suited for game applications
To learn more about SVG, please read our SVG Tutorial.