GZ

Overview

Gzip applies deflate compression to a single data stream. It is the foundation of tar.gz bundles and HTTP transfer compression, and it remains one of the most widely supported compression methods.

Typical use cases

• Single-file compression
• Web transfer compression
• Log archives
• tar.gz bundles

Advantages

• Designed for single-file compression
• Lossless storage
• Open specification
• Browser support: Native on Unix-like systems and many web servers

Disadvantages

• Compresses one stream, not a collection
• Slower than newer codecs at high levels
• No encryption

How to open or use it

Open GZ files with an application that supports application/gzip. Create and edit with compression tools. For delivery, use a viewer or converter that reads gz.