Package: bzip2 (1.0.5-3)

high-quality block-sorting file compressor - utilities

bzip2 is a freely available, patent free, high-quality data compressor. It typically compresses files to within 10% to 15% of the best available techniques, whilst being around twice as fast at compression and six times faster at decompression.

bzip2 compresses files using the Burrows-Wheeler block-sorting text compression algorithm, and Huffman coding. Compression is generally considerably better than that achieved by more conventional LZ77/LZ78-based compressors, and approaches the performance of the PPM family of statistical compressors.

The archive file format of bzip2 (.bz2) is incompatible with that of its predecessor, bzip (.bz).

Tags: Implemented in: C, User Interface: Command Line, Role: Program, Scope: Utility, Purpose: Compressing, Works with: Archive, Files