Tag: compression

zstd -3 compresses 4 to 6x faster than gzip -6 with smaller files. At the top end, xz -6 beat zstd -19 on speed. 19 configs, 4 public data sets, measured.

zstd -3 compresses 4-6x faster than gzip at a better ratio. Measured numbers, where xz still wins at the high end, and how to use zstd in 2026.

Extract tar.gz, tar.bz2, tar.xz, flags demystified, compression compared, directory extraction, and the gotchas that trip you up.

tar, gzip, bzip2, xz, zip, demystified. When to use each compression tool, speed vs ratio trade-offs, and the flags you'll actually need.