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File compression is an important part of the digital workspace. ZIP files use compression to send more data at faster speeds than has ever been possible. This is why ZIP files are such a popular tool for businesses all across the world. But what exactly is a ZIP file?
ZIP is a common file format that’s used to compress one or more files together into a single location. This reduces file size and makes it easier to transport or store. A recipient can unzip (or extract) a ZIP file after transport and use the file in the original format.
ZIP files work in much the same way as a standard folder on your computer. They contain data and files together in one place. But with zipped files, the contents are compressed, which reduces the amount of data used by your computer. Another way to describe ZIP files is as an archive. The archive contains all the compressed files in one location. So, the ZIP file format is one option to use if you need to make a single file or group of files smaller.
So, how can you identify a ZIP archive file? Simple. Whenever you see the extensions .ZIP or .zip at the end of a file name, you’re looking at a ZIP file. The icon that represents the file would also change. Say you have a photo named vacation.jpg. After you zip this photo it now read vacation.zip and have a new icon.
Is ZIP different from 7-ZIP or RAR?
When you’re researching ZIP files, you may come across the term “7z file” or “7-ZIP.” This is an archiving format that uses a higher compression ratio for fewer megabytes. While this smaller size is a positive, it also takes longer to process. It is also less convenient in that you need to download and install a software application to use. This is also the case for RAR and TAR files as well as WinRAR, ZIPx and PeaZip third-party software apps.
How do ZIP files work?
ZIP files encode information into fewer bits by removing redundant data. This “lossless data compression” ensures all the original data is intact. Let’s look at a quick example to explain how this works.
Imagine a file that contains the following sentences:
- The best sharing and storage solution for your business
- Your business solution for the best sharing and storage
Each word in this file appears twice. Now, if each letter and space in the sentence equals one unit of memory, then the entire file size would be 110 units. But you can create a numbered code to express the data in a different way:
- The best sharing and storage solution for your business
- 123456789
Or to put it a different way, both sentences would now read: 123456789896712345. This means that the initial file size of 110 units is reduced to 18 units, which is a massive savings. The ZIP file format uses lossless compression algorithms to do exactly that. It allows you to express the same information in a more efficient way by removing the redundant data from the file. This also means it is faster to send a ZIP file.
When to use ZIP files at work
There are a broad range of potential uses for zipped files in a business setting. Being able to send large numbers of files over email is imperative. Say you need to send a big batch of files to a colleague or client. If you try to send them all at once in an email attachment, you will get an error message because of file size. So you could try to send each file as in separate emails. But this is time consuming, labor intensive, and could lead to duplicate files. To send all the files in one email, you can zip them and attach this single ZIP file to your email. Your recipient can then unzip the file by downloading and clicking.
You should also consider any potential storage saving. Zipping your files can help to reduce the amount of space they use on your computer's hard drive.