How to use LZMA Compression

Updated By - September 6, 2024

LZMA compression (Lempel-Ziv-Markov chain algorithm) is a high performance data compression algorithm known for its high compressing ratio. It is widely used in various applications where space efficiency is critical, such as software distribution, embedded systems, and large datasets. This tutorial will guide you through installing and using LZMA on Linux. We'll cover everything from installation to basic and advanced commands, including how to compress and decompress files using this powerful tool on popular Linux distributions like Ubuntu, Fedora, and Arch Linux.

LZMA Compression

What is LZMA?

LZMA (Lempel-Ziv-Markov chain algorithm) is a data compression algorithm developed by Igor Pavlov as part of the 7-Zip project. It is known for achieving high compression ratios, making it a popular choice for compressing files where space savings are critical. It is used in various applications, including:

  • Compressing archives (e.g., .tar.lzma or .tar.xz files)
  • Packaging software for Linux distributions (e.g., .xz files)
  • Embedded systems where storage space is limited

Why Use LZMA Compression?

  • High compression ratio: Provides better compression than other algorithms like gzip or bzip2, which can reduce file sizes considerably.
  • Versatile: It can be used with various file formats, including .lzma, .xz, and .7z.
  • Efficient for large files: Ideal for compressing large datasets, logs, or system images.

Installing LZMA on Linux

Most Linux distributions come with tools that support LZMA compression. The most commonly used package is xz-utils, which includes the xz command to handle LZMA files.

  • LZMA on Ubuntu or Debian: 
    sudo apt update
sudo apt install xz-utils
  • Fedora: 
    sudo dnf install xz
  • Arch Linux: 
    sudo pacman -S xz
  • Red Hat/CentOS: 
    sudo yum install xz

Basic Usage of LZMA Compression

Compressing Files Using LZMA

The xz command is typically used for compression.

Compress a file:

xz filename

This will compress filename to filename.xz.

Compress a file with a different extension (using .lzma):

xz --format=lzma filename

This will create filename.lzma.

Compress multiple files:

tar -cvf archive.tar file1 file2 file3
xz archive.tar

This will create archive.tar.xz.

Decompressing Files Using LZMA

Decompress an .xz file:

xz -d filename.xz

This decompresses filename.xz to filename.

Decompress an .lzma file:

xz --format=lzma -d filename.lzma

Decompress a .tar.xz archive:

tar -xf archive.tar.xz

This will extract the contents of archive.tar.xz.

View the Contents of XZ Compressed Files

To view the contents of an .xz file without decompressing it:

xz -l filename.xz

This command will display statistics like original file size and compressed file size.

Adjusting Compression Levels

You can control the compression level using the -0 to -9 flags, where -0 is the fastest with lower compression, and -9 is the slowest with maximum compression.

Example:

xz -9 filename

This will apply the maximum possible compression to the filename.

Compressing in Parallel

To speed up compression on multi-core systems, use the -T option to specify the number of threads:

xz -T4 filename

This uses 4 threads for compression.

Advantages of LZMA Over Other Compression Tools

  • Higher compression ratio compared to gzip and bzip2.
  • Widely supported across Linux distributions and platforms.
  • More efficient for large files, with options for multi-threading.

Conclusion

This is a powerful compression algorithm that provides significant space savings, especially for large files. With its support across all major Linux distributions and simple tools like xz-utils, it's a great choice for file compression on Linux.

Key Commands Recap:

  • Compress a file: xz filename
  • Decompress a file: xz -d filename.xz
  • Compress multiple files with tar: tar -cvf archive.tar file1 file2 && xz archive.tar
  • Adjust compression levels: xz -9 filename
  • View compressed file contents: xz -l filename.xz

By following this guide, you’ll be able to easily compress and decompress files using LZMA on Linux.