What does the acronym GIF stand for in terms of graphic format?

The acronym GIF stands for Graphical Interchange Format. This format was developed in the late 1980s by CompuServe as a way to provide a color image format for the internet that was both efficient and widely usable. It uses lossless compression to maintain image quality, which allows for the storage of images with varying levels of detail while preventing data loss during compression. The format supports up to 256 colors in a single image and is commonly used for simple animations and graphics on the web due to its support for transparency and looping. The popularity of GIFs continues today, particularly in digital communication and social media, where animated and static graphics are frequently shared.