SVG vs Canvas

SVG

Pros of SVG

• Creates live DOM elements
• Easier to save image format in database
• Easier to create two way data binding should the application move to an AngularJS architecture
• Easier to add meta data to image elements
• Could simplify reporting process for querying completed Eyedraws
• Clinicians could edit and upload their own sketches using SVG editing software
• Removes dependancy on canvas and simplifies authoring process

Cons of SVG

• Moving to a pure SVG application requires significant and costly reworking of the entire code base
• Querying tools to interrogate SVG drawings would be required for reporting

Canvas

Pros of Canvas

• Retain existing codebase and knowledge of current processes

Cons of canvas

• Generating canvas commands from SVG sketches is currently manual. This should be automated.
• Completed EyeDraws are bitmap images and reporting has to be generated by JSON strings
• Better reporting tools are required to interrogate existing JSON reporting dumps