"GIF" stands for Graphics Interchange Format. It is a common graphic format found on the Internet that is often used for short animations and for low-color game graphics.
Developed by CompuServe in 1987, the GIF format was one of the first two graphic types used online. Because the format uses lossless compression, it is often chosen for logo designs in which sharp edges are needed. Though it is useful in design and animation, a GIF can only display 256 colors and 8 bits per pixel, making it an unacceptable format for most photography. GIF files can be created and edited in most graphic programs, including Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Paint.