What does 'GIF' stand for?

GIF stands for Graphics Interchange Format. It is a bitmap image format introduced by CompuServe on June 15, 1987, for distributing color images through online services.

GIF became popular because it used LZW lossless compression, which reduced file sizes without sacrificing pixel quality. The format supports palettes of up to 256 colors, making it especially effective for logos, icons, diagrams, and other images with flat areas of color.

The 1989 GIF89a revision added features including animation, frame delays, transparent backgrounds, and application-specific metadata. A common mix-up is calling every short looping video a GIF: many modern clips labeled “GIFs” are actually video files. Another common question is pronunciation; both “jiff” and “gif” are used, and the creator favored “jiff.”