What is PNG?
PNG is the web's lossless image format: compression that never degrades the picture, and a real alpha channel for transparency. It is the right choice for screenshots, logos, line art and anything with sharp edges or text.
What is JPG?
JPEG is the format photographs live in. Its compression is lossy - it discards detail the eye is bad at noticing, and discards a little more every time the file is re-saved - which buys enormous size savings on photographic images and makes a mess of screenshots, logos and text. It has no transparency.