Gzip
Gzip is a widely-used file compression and decompression tool that reduces the size of files and data streams using the DEFLATE algorithm, which combines LZ77 and Huffman coding. It is commonly applied to compress web content, software distributions, and log files to save storage space and bandwidth. The tool produces files with a .gz extension and is often integrated into web servers and command-line utilities for efficient data handling.
Developers should learn Gzip to optimize web performance by compressing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files, which reduces page load times and improves user experience. It is essential for managing large datasets, backups, and logs in system administration and data processing workflows. Using Gzip can significantly cut costs associated with bandwidth and storage in cloud and server environments.