GIF and sticker pack guides
Format specs, platform rules, historical context, and practical tips. No paywalls, no email gates.
GIFs
What is a GIF?
The format dates to 1987 and tops out at 256 colors per frame. That sounds like a limitation, but it's mostly why GIFs look the way they do.
5 min read
GIF trends: from the 2010s to now
Tumblr drove the reaction GIF. GIPHY turned it into an industry. AI is starting to generate them on demand. Here's how the format evolved.
7 min read
How to make a GIF that actually gets used
Loop design, file size targets, frame rate tradeoffs, and the surprisingly short window where a GIF lands perfectly.
6 min read
Sticker packs
What is a sticker (and how is it different from an emoji)?
Stickers are user-created, platform-specific image packs. The file format, size limit, and how they get installed differ between WhatsApp and Discord.
4 min read
WhatsApp and Discord sticker pack guide
WhatsApp wants 512x512 WebP under 100 KB. Discord accepts PNG, APNG, and Lottie up to 320x320. Neither platform makes this obvious. We break it down.
8 min read