.gif File — Graphics Interchange Format

GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) was created by CompuServe in 1987 and has remained one of the web's most recognizable image formats, particularly famous for its animation capabilities. GIF uses LZW lossless compression but is limited to a palette of 256 colors per frame, making it poorly suited for photographs but efficient for simple graphics, icons, and short animations. GIF's animation support — multiple frames with individual timing controls displayed in sequence — made it the internet's de facto format for short looping animations long before video embedding became practical. The format supports single-color transparency (no partial/alpha transparency) and interlaced loading. While technically inferior to modern formats like WebP and APNG for both still images and animations, GIF's universal support, simplicity, and cultural significance in internet communication have ensured its continued relevance. The pronunciation debate ('gif' vs 'jif') was settled by creator Steve Wilhite in favor of a soft 'g', though both pronunciations remain in common use.