GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) is an image format best known for animated images and short loops, limited to 256 colors per frame.
GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) was introduced by CompuServe in 1987 and became one of the most iconic file formats on the internet. Its defining feature is animation support — multiple image frames with configurable delays — which made it the standard for short animated clips, reaction images, and memes. GIF uses LZW lossless compression but is limited to a palette of 256 colors per frame, which makes it unsuitable for photographs but efficient for simple graphics. GIF also supports binary transparency (fully transparent or fully opaque, no partial transparency). For modern use, animated WebP and short MP4 videos are more efficient alternatives, but GIF remains deeply embedded in web culture and messaging platforms.
WebP is a modern image format developed by Google that provides superior lossy and lossless compression for images on the web.
Lossless compression reduces file size without discarding any data, allowing the original file to be perfectly reconstructed from the compressed version.
Image transparency allows parts of an image to be fully or partially see-through using an alpha channel, essential for overlays and compositing.
A container format is a file wrapper (like MP4, MKV, or AVI) that packages compressed video, audio, subtitles, and metadata streams into a single file.