compression

Deflate

The lossless algorithm behind ZIP, gzip and PNG.

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How Deflate works

Deflate pairs LZ77 duplicate-string elimination with Huffman entropy coding. It is fast, patent-free and ubiquitous.

Family
lossless
Introduced
1993
Typical ratio
2:1 to 5:1 on text

Deflate scores

Deterministic scores calculated from the structured facts above. Identical facts always produce identical scores.

Overall score

83/100

  • Archiving score

    100
    • it is a current, actively maintained format
    • it is actively maintained and current

    Confidence 34% · evidence coverage 56%

  • Longevity score

    89
    • it is actively maintained and current
    • it is a current, actively maintained format
    • it occupies a niche corner of the ecosystem

    Confidence 36% · evidence coverage 75%

Data quality

Every claim on this page is classified as a verified fact, a derived fact or an assumption.

Overall confidence
85%
Verification status
verified
Last reviewed
2026-08-03
Verified facts
3

3 classified claims backed by 2 sources.

Sources and review status

Review status: verified · confidence 90%

Last reviewed 2026-08-03 (revision 1).

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