The History of Image Formats: From GIF to AVIF
The evolution of image formats is a fascinating journey that mirrors the growth of digital technology and the internet. From the humble beginnings of GIF in 1987 to the cutting-edge AVIF in 2019, each format represents significant technological advances in compression, quality, and features.
This comprehensive history explores the major milestones, the problems each format solved, and the innovations that continue to shape how we share and experience images online.
The Pioneer Era (1987-1992)
GIF (1987)
The Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) was created by Steve Wilhite at CompuServe in 1987. It was designed to provide a color image format for file downloading areas, replacing their earlier black-and-white format.
Key innovations:
- LZW compression (lossless)
- Support for 256 colors per frame
- Animation support (added in GIF89a)
- Transparency (1-bit, on/off)
GIF became incredibly popular for web graphics in the 1990s. Its animation feature made it the go-to format for animated content until modern alternatives emerged. Despite being over 35 years old, GIF remains widely used for short animations and memes.
JPEG (1992)
The Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) released their standard in 1992, revolutionizing digital photography with lossy compression.
Key innovations:
- Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) compression
- Adjustable quality/compression ratio
- Full 24-bit color (16.7 million colors)
- Designed specifically for photographic images
JPEG's ability to dramatically reduce file sizes while maintaining acceptable quality made digital photography practical. It remains the most widely used image format today, accounting for over 70% of images on the web.
Historical Note: JPEG's lossy compression was controversial initially—many photographers were reluctant to "throw away" image data. Over time, the dramatic file size savings won over critics.
The PNG Era (1996-2010)
PNG (1996)
Portable Network Graphics (PNG) was developed in 1996 as a patent-free alternative to GIF, following the LZW patent controversy.
Key innovations:
- Lossless DEFLATE compression
- Full alpha channel transparency (256 levels)
- Support for 24-bit and 48-bit color
- Gamma correction for cross-platform consistency
- Patent-free
PNG excelled where GIF fell short: better compression for most images, true transparency, and more colors. It became the standard for web graphics requiring transparency, logos, and screenshots.
| Format | Year | Compression | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| GIF | 1987 | Lossless (LZW) | Simple animations |
| JPEG | 1992 | Lossy (DCT) | Photographs |
| PNG | 1996 | Lossless (DEFLATE) | Graphics with transparency |
The Modern Era (2010-2019)
WebP (2010)
WebP was developed by Google and announced in 2010. It was designed specifically for the web, addressing the growing need for faster page loads.
Key innovations:
- VP8 video codec-based compression
- Both lossy and lossless compression modes
- Transparency support in both modes
- Animation support
- 25-35% smaller than JPEG at equivalent quality
WebP struggled with browser adoption initially—only Chrome supported it for years. It wasn't until Safari added support in 2020 that WebP became universally usable on the web.
HEIC/HEIF (2015)
High Efficiency Image Format (HEIF) was developed by the MPEG group and adopted by Apple in 2017 for iOS 11.
Key innovations:
- HEVC (H.265) video codec compression
- Approximately 50% smaller than JPEG
- Supports image sequences, depth maps, and HDR
- Advanced editing features (non-destructive crops, rotations)
HEIC became the default format for iPhone photos, offering significant storage savings. However, patent licensing issues limited its adoption on the web.
The Next-Gen Era (2019-Present)
AVIF (2019)
The AV1 Image File Format (AVIF) was released in 2019 by the Alliance for Open Media, which includes tech giants like Google, Apple, Microsoft, Mozilla, Netflix, and Amazon.
Key innovations:
- AV1 video codec compression (state-of-the-art)
- 30-50% smaller than JPEG at equivalent quality
- 10-20% smaller than WebP
- Full HDR and wide color gamut support
- Excellent handling of fine details and gradients
- Royalty-free
AVIF represents the current state-of-the-art in image compression. Netflix tested AVIF extensively and found it superior to other formats for their use case.
Learn more about AVIF in our complete AVIF guide.
JPEG XL (2021)
JPEG XL was standardized in 2021 as the next-generation JPEG format, designed as a universal replacement.
Key innovations:
- Both lossy and lossless compression
- Lossless transcoding from existing JPEG files
- Progressive decoding for faster perceived loading
- Better handling of text and graphics than AVIF
- Royalty-free
JPEG XL aims to be the "one format to rule them all," but browser support remains limited as of 2025.
Compression Technology Evolution
The progression of compression technology shows remarkable improvement:
| Format | Relative Size (JPEG = 100%) | Improvement |
|---|---|---|
| JPEG (1992) | 100% | Baseline |
| WebP (2010) | 65-75% | 25-35% smaller |
| HEIC (2015) | 50% | 50% smaller |
| AVIF (2019) | 50-60% | 40-50% smaller |
The Future of Image Formats
Several trends are shaping the future of image formats:
- AI-Powered Compression: Machine learning models that understand image content can achieve better compression by preserving perceptually important details.
- Adaptive Formats: Images that automatically adjust quality based on network conditions and device capabilities.
- Computational Photography: Formats that store multiple exposures and depth information for post-capture processing.
- Immersive Media: Support for VR/AR content, light fields, and volumetric images.
Conclusion
The history of image formats reflects the constant push for better quality at smaller file sizes. From GIF's 256 colors to AVIF's HDR wide color gamut, each generation has expanded what's possible with digital images.
Today, the best approach is to use modern formats like AVIF and WebP with appropriate fallbacks for older browsers. This ensures optimal performance for modern users while maintaining compatibility.
Ready to use modern image formats? Try our conversion tools: