GIF, or Graphics Interchange Format, is an image format introduced by CompuServe in 1987 as a color image format. It was one of the earliest formats to support image transparency as well as animation. GIF images are still used widely thanks to versality and the capability to animate images using the format. The biggest limitation is the color palette, which is restricted to 256 colors. However, the palette is allowed to change between frames of an animation. In order to overcome this restriction in both still images and animations, dithering is used to approximate the colors. This creates a grainy texture, though, so is not suitable for high-quality still photographs. GIFs are most commonly used for animated images as well as for simple logos or images with few colors thanks to the lack of artifacts created by JPGs.
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