ZIP (file format)

<p>ZIP is an <a href="/facts/Archive_file_format/u7BIXv7D">archive file format</a> that supports <a href="/facts/Lossless_compression/LS702KsN">lossless data compression</a>. A ZIP file may contain one or more files or directories that may have been compressed. The ZIP file format permits a number of <a href="/facts/Data_compression/gMFuY4FT">compression algorithms</a>, though <a href="/facts/DEFLATE/XnBt1GKV">DEFLATE</a> is the most common. This format was originally created in 1989 and was first implemented in <a href="/facts/PKWARE%2c_Inc./lDBW4qzp">PKWARE, Inc.</a>'s <a href="/facts/PKZIP/kTgEHX8w">PKZIP</a> utility, as a replacement for the previous <a href="/facts/ARC_(file_format)/Ymtby6g4">ARC</a> compression format by Thom Henderson. The ZIP format was then quickly supported by many software utilities other than PKZIP. Microsoft has included built-in ZIP support (under the name "compressed folders") in versions of <a href="/facts/Microsoft_Windows/bwhAhuSL">Microsoft Windows</a> since 1998 via the "Plus! 98" addon for Windows 98. Native support was added as of the year 2000 in Windows ME.  Apple has included built-in ZIP support in <a href="/facts/MacOS/Y93vVpTm">Mac OS X</a> 10.3 (via BOMArchiveHelper, now <a href="/facts/Archive_Utility/7uDAhFUz">Archive Utility</a>) and later. Most free operating systems have built in support for ZIP in similar manners to Windows and macOS.
</p><p>ZIP files generally use the <a href="/facts/File_extension/cJgfAym4">file extensions</a> .zip or .ZIP and the <a href="/facts/MIME/P8PDYuts">MIME</a> media type application/zip. ZIP is used as a base file format by many programs, usually under a different name. When navigating a file system via a user interface, graphical <a href="/facts/Icon_(computing)/habCR8KJ">icons</a> representing ZIP files often appear as a document or other object prominently featuring a <a href="/facts/Zipper/VsTewMof">zipper</a>.
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ZIP (file format) open-in-new

ZIP (file format)