GIF stands for Graphics Interchange Format and it is a bitmap image format which features support for up to 256 colors per frame and includes animations.
GIF format is not suitable for large color photos and it used particularly for representing simple images with solid areas of colors.
Since GIF format features lossless compression (reduces file size with no decrease in image quality), GIF files are used mainly by the users who need to place animated logos or graphic files on their websites.
In order to create static GIF images, users can resort to any available graphic converter.
However, if users are interested in making custom animated GIFs, they will need to opt for a specialized software solution.