7z Format

7z is the new archive format, providing high compression ratio. The code of 7z format is open architecture, so it can support any new compression methods.

Core Features

  • Open architecture
  • High compression ratio
  • Strong AES-256 encryption
  • Ability of using any compression, conversion or encryption method
  • Supporting files with sizes up to 16000000000 GB
  • Unicode file names
  • Solid compressing
  • Archive headers compressing

Compression Methods

MethodDescription
LZMADefault and general compression method
LZMA2Improved version of LZMA
PPMDDmitry Shkarin's PPMdH with small changes
BCJ / BCJ2Converter for 32-bit x86 executables
BZip2Standard BWT algorithm
DeflateStandard LZ77-based algorithm