What is the main limitation of the GIF file format?

The main limitation of the GIF file format is that it supports only 256 colors. This restriction stems from the GIF format's use of indexed color, which means it can only display a palette of 256 distinct colors selected from a broader spectrum of over 16 million colors available in true color images.

This limitation is significant for images that require a rich and varied color palette, such as photographs or detailed artwork, where the loss of color information can lead to banding, dithered patterns, and an overall reduction in image quality. Although GIFs are widely used for simple graphics, logos, and animations due to their support for transparent backgrounds and simple animations, the color limitation makes them less suitable for more complex images.

The other choices relate to aspects that do not accurately characterize the GIF format. For instance, GIFs are quite commonly used for internet graphics; they maintain a smaller file size compared to other formats like BMP; and they do support animation, which differentiates them from static formats like JPEG or PNG.