GIF

A bitmap image format (Graphics Interchange Format) supporting up to 256 indexed colors and LZW lossless compression, primarily known for its widespread use in short, looping animations.

GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) is a foundational web image standard, released by CompuServe in 1987 (GIF87a); lead developer Steve Wilhite designed it for efficient color image exchange over slow modems. The format uses Lempel–Ziv–Welch (LZW) lossless compression, ensuring quality while managing file size. Its core limitation is the 8-bit color depth (256 colors) from the 24-bit RGB space, making it ideal for logos and simple graphics, not high-fidelity photography. The critical 1989 update (GIF89a) introduced animation and transparency, cementing its role as the go-to format for short, looping motion clips across the internet.

https://www.w3.org/Graphics/GIF/spec-gif89a.txt