It can be used in a variety of ways:
* General: "There were a lot of people at the party." (Había mucha gente en la fiesta.)
* Specific group: "The people in the village are friendly." (La gente del pueblo es amable.)
* People in general: "People need to be more respectful." (La gente necesita ser más respetuosa.)
However, you can also use personas to describe people, especially when referring to individuals or a smaller group.
Here are some examples:
* Individuals: "There are five people in my family." (Hay cinco personas en mi familia.)
* Smaller group: "The people in the meeting were quiet." (Las personas en la reunión estaban calladas.)
The choice between "gente" and "personas" depends on the context and the number of people you are referring to.