Glossary · Web & App Development
Adobe Photoshop
Overview
What Adobe Photoshop is
Adobe Photoshop is a raster (pixel-based) image editing application first released in 1990 and now part of Adobe Creative Cloud. It is used across photography, graphic design, web design, advertising, and digital art to create, composite, and manipulate images with fine control over every pixel.
Photoshop is subscription software; there is no perpetual license, and it is available on Windows and macOS, with a companion iPad version. A free trial is offered, but ongoing use requires a Creative Cloud plan.
How it works
Photoshop organizes work into layers, letting you stack images, text, and effects independently and edit them non-destructively with masks and adjustment layers. Core tools include selection, retouching (such as the Clone Stamp and Healing Brush), color correction, filters, and support for large, high-resolution files.
Recent versions add AI-powered features built on Adobe Firefly, including Generative Fill and Generative Expand, which add, remove, or extend content from a text prompt. Files save in the native PSD format, which preserves layers, and export to web-ready formats like PNG, JPEG, and WebP.
When to use it
Reach for Photoshop when the work is pixel-based: photo retouching, compositing, banner and social graphics, detailed image editing, and high-fidelity visual mockups. It excels wherever realistic imagery and precise pixel control matter.
It is not the best fit for every design task. Logos and illustrations that must scale cleanly belong in a vector tool like Adobe Illustrator, and collaborative, component-driven UI design is usually faster in Figma. Free or lower-cost alternatives such as GIMP, Affinity Photo, and Canva cover many needs without a subscription.
Where we use it
Related Zen in Tech services
How our team puts Adobe Photoshop to work in real projects.
FAQ
Adobe Photoshop — common questions
Is Adobe Photoshop free?
No. Photoshop is subscription-based through Adobe Creative Cloud and offers only a time-limited free trial. Free alternatives include GIMP and Photopea, while Affinity Photo is a lower-cost one-time-purchase option.
What is the difference between Photoshop and Illustrator?
Photoshop edits raster (pixel) images and is ideal for photos and detailed image work. Illustrator creates vector graphics that scale to any size without losing quality, making it better for logos, icons, and illustrations.
Should I use Photoshop or Figma for web design?
For modern UI and web design, Figma is usually preferred because it is collaborative, component-based, and browser-native. Photoshop is still useful for preparing images, photo edits, and marketing graphics that go into those designs.
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