Compression Algorithms
Compression algorithms are computational methods that reduce the size of data by encoding information more efficiently, enabling storage savings and faster transmission. They work by identifying and eliminating redundancy or approximating data with minimal loss of quality, categorized into lossless (exact reconstruction) and lossy (approximate reconstruction) types. These algorithms are fundamental in areas like file storage, media streaming, and network communication.
Developers should learn compression algorithms to optimize applications for performance and resource efficiency, such as reducing bandwidth usage in web services or minimizing storage costs in databases. They are essential for handling large datasets, multimedia processing, and improving user experience in data-intensive scenarios like video streaming or file transfers.