An single animated GIF image file is created from a series of images. It is embedded in HTML and read by browsers as a standard GIF image file and needs nothing special to be viewed. It can loop non-stop or can be set to loop a specific number of times. Animated GIFs can be transparent. (Eternally looping animated GIFs can get annoying.)

Animation files contain computer-generated animations or digitized video with or without audio. Quicktime files started on the Mac and MPEG and AVI files started on the PCs, but both can now be played on either platform after downloading the appropriate tools. (The MPEG extension for Macs and Quicktime for Windows for PCs.) Animations can be played directly in browser windows through plug-ins or in separate windows through helper applications. Though these animation files have generally had to be downloaded completely before they could play, many of these formats are moving to streaming animation.

Vivo Software, Inc. is one example of a way of streaming video files across the Internet without the need of a server. (Quicktime 2.5 also provides serverless streaming video.) Vivo uses a compression tool called the VivoActive Producer to compress Quicktime or Video for Windows files. The web server administrator for your server does need to create a new MIME type in order to have Vivo files serve correctly, but no other software is necessary to serve the files.

Progressive Networks is one example of a streaming video and audio product that requires a server. It produces real-time streaming of video and audio through their RealMedia Architecture. While it is necessary to run a RealAudio server in order to serve audio and video, users can "view" streamed audio and video files and actual live broadcasts. This technology includes the ability to embed hot spots in a video. There are many sources using RealAudio and RealVideo. Check out Timecast for an overview (especially their Video Guide).