AVI (Audio Video Interleave) is a multimedia container format introduced by Microsoft in November 1992 as part of its Video for Windows technology. It is a widely used format for storing video and audio data, interleaving the two streams within a single file. AVI files can contain various video and audio codecs, making them versatile for different purposes. However, this flexibility also means that not all AVI files are compatible with every media player, as the player needs to support the specific codecs used within the file. AVI is often used for storing movies, TV shows, and other video content. While it was initially a popular format, it has been largely superseded by more modern container formats like MP4 and MKV, which offer better compression, support for more advanced features, and wider compatibility. Despite this, AVI remains a common format, especially for older video content and for situations where compatibility with older systems is a priority.