Image MIME Reference
FST-Image
FAST Search & Transfer Image
image/vnd.fst
VS
Graphics Interchange Format
image/gif
GIF
A complete technical comparison of FAST Search & Transfer Image and Graphics Interchange Format — covering compression, feature support, browser compatibility, magic bytes, and when to choose each format.
GIF wins on browser support
Feature Support
| Feature | FST-Image | GIF |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency (Alpha) | ✕ No | Yes |
| Animation Support | ✕ No | Yes |
| Progressive Loading | ✕ No | Yes |
| HDR Support | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| EXIF Metadata | ✕ No | ✕ No |
| ICC Color Profile | ✕ No | Yes |
FAST Search & Transfer Image
image/vnd.fst
Extension
.fst
Container
Proprietary FAST Container
Compression
Proprietary
Algorithm
Unknown (Proprietary FAST encoding)
Color Depth
Unknown
Developed by
FAST Search & Transfer ASA (Arild Fuldseth)
Released
2000
Magic Bytes
Unknown (Proprietary)
Graphics Interchange Format
image/gif
Extension
.gif
Container
GIF
Compression
Lossless (LZW)
Algorithm
LZW (Lempel-Ziv-Welch)
Color Depth
1-bit, 4-bit, 8-bit (Indexed)
Developed by
CompuServe
Released
1987
Magic Bytes
47 49 46 38 39 61
Browser Support Comparison
| Browser | FST-Image | GIF |
|---|---|---|
Chrome
|
✕ |
✓ All
|
Firefox
|
✕ |
✓ All
|
Safari
|
✕ |
✓ All
|
Edge
|
✕ |
✓ All
|
IE (Legacy)
|
✕ |
✓
|
FST-Image
FST-Image Strengths
- Historically served as an optimized, compressed format for FAST's early multimedia and live streaming engines over constrained late-1990s bandwidth
Limitations
- Completely obsolete and non-functional in modern software ecosystems
- Undocumented, closed-source binary structure with zero support in modern image processing libraries
- Shares its file extension with several other distinct file types (such as FL Studio state files or FAST Search dictionaries), leading to easy misidentification
GIF
GIF Strengths
- Universal support across all web browsers, operating systems, and messaging apps
- Supports basic frame-by-frame animation out of the box
- Lossless compression is highly effective for simple, flat-color graphics like logos or pixel art
Limitations
- Limited to 256 colors per frame, resulting in poor quality for complex gradients and photographs
- Animations produce massive file sizes compared to modern formats like MP4, WebP, or AVIF
- 1-bit transparency limits edge blending on non-uniform backgrounds
When to choose which format
FST-Image
Use FST-Image when…
- Historical FAST Enterprise Search Indexing
- Legacy Proprietary Multimedia Streaming (late 1990s)
- Internal Media Transmission
GIF
Use GIF when…
- Web Animations
- Memes
- Simple Graphics
- Logos with flat colors