XZ Utils
XZ Utils is a high-performance data compression library and command-line tools that provide the XZ format, which offers significantly better compression ratios than traditional formats like gzip and bzip2.
Features
- High Compression Ratio: Achieves excellent compression ratios, typically 30-50% better than gzip
- Multiple Formats: Supports both the legacy .lzma format and the modern .xz format
- Integrity Checking: Built-in CRC32, CRC64, and SHA-256 integrity checks
- Multi-threading: Utilizes multiple CPU cores for faster compression/decompression
- Small Memory Footprint: Efficient implementation suitable for embedded systems
Included Tools
- xz: Main compression/decompression tool with advanced features
- xzdec: Small decompressor for memory-constrained environments
- lzmainfo: Displays information about .lzma files
- lzmadec: Decompresses legacy .lzma format files
- Scripts: Helper scripts for compressed file operations (xzgrep, xzdiff, xzmore, etc.)
Applications
XZ Utils is widely used in:
- System backup and archiving tools
- Software distribution and packaging
- Embedded systems and firmware
- Data compression for cloud storage and transmission
License
XZ Utils is released under multiple free software licenses:
- BSD Zero Clause License (0BSD) for most components
- GNU GPL v2/v3 for some components
- GNU LGPL v2.1 for getopt_long functionality in scripts
This package provides the complete XZ Utils suite including libraries, command-line tools, and development headers for integration with other applications.