zlib(3) zlib(3)
NAME
zlib - compression/decompression library
SYNOPSIS
[see zlib.h for full description]
DESCRIPTION
The zlib library is a general purpose data compression library. The
code is thread safe, assuming that the standard library functions used
are thread safe, such as memory allocation routines. It provides in-
memory compression and decompression functions, including integrity
checks of the uncompressed data. This version of the library supports
only one compression method (deflation) but other algorithms may be
added later with the same stream interface.
Compression can be done in a single step if the buffers are large
enough or can be done by repeated calls of the compression function.
In the latter case, the application must provide more input and/or con-
sume the output (providing more output space) before each call.
The library also supports reading and writing files in gzip(1) (.gz)
format with an interface similar to that of stdio.
The library does not install any signal handler. The decoder checks
the consistency of the compressed data, so the library should never
crash even in the case of corrupted input.
All functions of the compression library are documented in the file
zlib.h. The distribution source includes examples of use of the
library in the files example.c and minigzip.c, as well as other exam-
ples in the examples/ directory.
Changes to this version are documented in the file ChangeLog that
accompanies the source.
zlib is available in Java using the java.util.zip package:
http://java.sun.com/developer/technicalArticles/Programming/com-
pression/
A Perl interface to zlib, written by Paul Marquess (pmqs@cpan.org), is
available at CPAN (Comprehensive Perl Archive Network) sites, includ-
ing:
http://search.cpan.org/~pmqs/IO-Compress-Zlib/
A Python interface to zlib, written by A.M. Kuchling (amk@magnet.com),
is available in Python 1.5 and later versions:
http://www.python.org/doc/lib/module-zlib.html
zlib is built into tcl:
http://wiki.tcl.tk/4610
An experimental package to read and write files in .zip format, written
on top of zlib by Gilles Vollant (info@winimage.com), is available at:
http://www.winimage.com/zLibDll/minizip.html and also in the
contrib/minizip directory of the main zlib source distribution.
SEE ALSO
The zlib web site can be found at:
http://zlib.net/
The data format used by the zlib library is described by RFC (Request
for Comments) 1950 to 1952 in the files:
http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1950.txt (for the zlib header and
trailer format)
http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1951.txt (for the deflate compressed
data format)
http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1952.txt (for the gzip header and
trailer format)
Mark Nelson wrote an article about zlib for the Jan. 1997 issue of Dr.
Dobb's Journal; a copy of the article is available at:
http://marknelson.us/1997/01/01/zlib-engine/
REPORTING PROBLEMS
Before reporting a problem, please check the zlib web site to verify
that you have the latest version of zlib; otherwise, obtain the latest
version and see if the problem still exists. Please read the zlib FAQ
at:
http://zlib.net/zlib_faq.html
before asking for help. Send questions and/or comments to
zlib@gzip.org, or (for the Windows DLL version) to Gilles Vollant
(info@winimage.com).
AUTHORS
Version 1.2.4 Copyright (C) 1995-2010 Jean-loup Gailly (jloup@gzip.org)
and Mark Adler (madler@alumni.caltech.edu).
This software is provided "as-is," without any express or implied war-
ranty. In no event will the authors be held liable for any damages
arising from the use of this software. See the distribution directory
with respect to requirements governing redistribution. The deflate
format used by zlib was defined by Phil Katz. The deflate and zlib
specifications were written by L. Peter Deutsch. Thanks to all the
people who reported problems and suggested various improvements in
zlib; who are too numerous to cite here.
UNIX manual page by R. P. C. Rodgers, U.S. National Library of Medicine
(rodgers@nlm.nih.gov).
14 March 2010 zlib(3)
zlib 1.2.4 - Generated Mon Mar 15 08:02:17 CDT 2010