modbender Requirements
Required for creating GIFs:
ffmpeg— video to GIF conversion
Optional:
gifsicle— post-optimization (reduces size 30-50%)GIPHY_API_KEY— for Giphy search APITENOR_API_KEY— for Tenor search API
Where to Find GIFs
| Site | Best for | API |
|---|---|---|
| Giphy | General, trending | Yes (key required) |
| Tenor | Messaging apps | Yes (key required) |
| Imgur | Viral/community | Yes |
| Reddit r/gifs | Niche, unique | No |
Creating GIFs with FFmpeg
Always use palettegen (without it, colors look washed out):
ffmpeg -ss 0 -t 5 -i input.mp4 \
-filter_complex "fps=10,scale=480:-1:flags=lanczos,split[a][b];[a]palettegen[p];[b][p]paletteuse" \
output.gif
| Setting | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| fps | 8-12 | Higher = much larger file |
| scale | 320-480 | 1080p GIFs are massive |
| lanczos | Always | Best scaling quality |
Post-Optimization
If gifsicle is available:
gifsicle -O3 --lossy=80 --colors 128 input.gif -o output.gif
Reduces size 30-50% with minimal quality loss.
Video Alternative
For web, use video instead of large GIFs (80-90% smaller):
<video autoplay muted loop playsinline>
<source src="animation.webm" type="video/webm">
<source src="animation.mp4" type="video/mp4">
</video>
Accessibility
- WCAG 2.2.2: Loops >5s need pause control
- prefers-reduced-motion: Show static image instead
- Alt text: Describe the action ("Cat jumping off table")
- Three flashes: Nothing >3 flashes/second (seizure risk)
Common Mistakes
- No
palettegenin FFmpeg — colors look terrible - FPS >15 — file size explodes for no visual benefit
- No lazy loading on web — blocks page load
- Using huge GIF where video would work — 10x larger
API Quick Reference
Giphy search:
curl "https://api.giphy.com/v1/gifs/search?api_key=$GIPHY_API_KEY&q=thumbs+up&limit=10"
Tenor search:
curl "https://tenor.googleapis.com/v2/search?key=$TENOR_API_KEY&q=thumbs+up&limit=10"