Compression Format Comparison
| Format | Compression Ratio | Speed (Compression/ Decompression) | Encryption | Speciality/Uniqueness | Open Source/ License |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
gz (.gz) | Moderate | Fast / Fast | No native (use gpg) | Widely supported and fast for most general uses. | Yes GNU GPL |
bzip2 (.bz2) | Better than gzip | Slow / Moderate | No native (use gpg) | Higher compression ratio and robust error detection. | Yes BSD |
xz (.xz) | Best | Very slow / Fast | No native (use gpg) | Highest compression ratio; slow compression speed. | Yes GNU GPL |
zip (.zip) | Moderate | Fast / Fast | Built-in encryption | Commonly used with built-in encryption and wide software support. | Yes Various (Info-ZIP) |
tar (.tar) | Depends on method | Fast (archive only) / Fast (archive only) | No native (use gpg) | Primarily used for archiving; compression depends on additional tools. | Yes GNU GPL |
7z (.7z) | Excellent | Moderate / Slow at high settings | AES-256 encryption | Excellent compression with advanced encryption options. | Yes LGPL |
rar (.rar) | Good | Moderate / Moderate | AES-256 encryption | Includes error recovery and strong encryption; proprietary format. | No Proprietary |
lzma (.lzma) | Very high | Very slow / Moderate | No native (use gpg) | High compression ratio with reliable decompression; requires separate decompressor. | Yes GNU GPL |
Key Points
gz (.gz): Well-rounded for speed and compatibility, commonly used for general purposes.bzip2 (.bz2): Provides a higher compression ratio compared to gzip, though slower.xz (.xz): Offers the best compression ratio but at the cost of slower compression speed.zip (.zip): Convenient with built-in encryption and broad compatibility.tar (.tar): Primarily an archiving format; often used in combination with other compression methods.7z (.7z): Excellent compression and strong encryption; requires specific software for full support.rar (.rar): Known for robust recovery features and encryption, but is proprietary.lzma (.lzma): Delivers a high compression ratio and reliable decompression, though it’s slow.