File Compression

What Does File Compression Mean?

File compression is a data compression method in which the logical size of a file is reduced to save disk space for easier and faster transmission over a network or the Internet. It enables the creation of a version of one or more files with the same data at a size substantially smaller than the original file.

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File compression is also known as file zipping.

Techopedia Explains File Compression

File compression is enabled through a file or data compression software that creates a compressed version of each processed file. Typically, file compression works by scanning an entire file, identifying similar or repetitive data and patterns and replacing duplicates with a unique identifier. This identifier is usually much smaller in size than the original word and consumes less space. Thus, the size of the compressed file is considerably smaller.

Although there is no exact measurement of the actual reduced size of the compressed file, file compression reduces a file’s size by 50 to 90 percent

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…