Image MIME Reference
KTX2
Khronos Texture 2.0
image/ktx2
VS
Tencent TAP Image
image/vnd.tencent.tap
Tencent-TAP
A complete technical comparison of Khronos Texture 2.0 and Tencent TAP Image — covering compression, feature support, browser compatibility, magic bytes, and when to choose each format.
Equal browser support
Feature Support
| Feature | KTX2 | Tencent-TAP |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency (Alpha) | Yes | ✕ No |
| Animation Support | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| Progressive Loading | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| HDR Support | Yes | ✕ No |
| EXIF Metadata | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| ICC Color Profile | ✕ No | ✕ No |
Khronos Texture 2.0
image/ktx2
Extension
.ktx2
Container
KTX 2.0
Compression
Basis Universal (ETC1S / UASTC) / Zstandard (zstd) Supercompression / Uncompressed
Algorithm
ETC1SUASTCZstandard (zstd)Raw GPU Formats (ASTC, BCn)
Color Depth
8-bit, 16-bit, 32-bit (Float)
Developed by
Khronos Group
Released
2021
Magic Bytes
AB 4B 54 58 20 32 30 BB 0D 0A 1A 0A
Tencent TAP Image
image/vnd.tencent.tap
Extension
.tap
Container
Proprietary Tencent Container
Compression
Unknown (Proprietary)
Algorithm
Unknown
Color Depth
Unknown
Developed by
Tencent (Registered by Ni Hui)
Released
2014
Magic Bytes
Unknown (Proprietary)
Browser Support Comparison
| Browser | KTX2 | Tencent-TAP |
|---|---|---|
Chrome
|
✕ | ✕ |
Firefox
|
✕ | ✕ |
Safari
|
✕ | ✕ |
Edge
|
✕ | ✕ |
IE (Legacy)
|
✕ | ✕ |
KTX2
KTX2 Strengths
- Universal hardware compatibility: write once, transcode anywhere to the target GPU's preferred format (ASTC, BC7, PVRTC, etc.)
- Drastically reduces transmission size over networks thanks to Basis Universal and Zstandard supercompression
- Seamless integration with the glTF ecosystem for optimized 3D asset delivery
Limitations
- Requires WebAssembly (Wasm) decoders and JavaScript loaders for web viewing, increasing initial application payload slightly
- Encoding textures into high-quality Basis Universal UASTC can be computationally intensive and slow
- Zero support in traditional 2D image viewers or native OS previews
Tencent-TAP
Tencent-TAP Strengths
- Officially registered with IANA, ensuring a unique MIME type identifier for internal Tencent network routing and content negotiation
Limitations
- Completely undocumented and closed-source, making it impossible to decode or parse outside of Tencent's software
- Shares its file extension (.tap) with numerous other established legacy formats, leading to frequent automated file misidentification by Node/Python libraries
When to choose which format
KTX2
Use KTX2 when…
- glTF 3D Models (KHR_texture_basisu)
- WebGPU and WebGL Applications
- Game Engines (Unity, Unreal, Godot)
- Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR)
Tencent-TAP
Use Tencent-TAP when…
- Internal Tencent Ecosystem Applications
- Proprietary Mobile or Gaming Assets