The modification of 7-Zip to support the LZ4 compression algorithm is primarily realized through popular forks such as (also known as 7-Zip ZS). While the mainline version of 7-Zip focuses on high-ratio algorithms like LZMA2, these "modded" versions integrate LZ4 to provide extreme speed for real-time backups and high-throughput data processing. Overview of LZ4 Integration in 7-Zip
You might ask: If LZ4 is open source, why isn't it in 7-Zip?
By using a modded version like 7-Zip ZS, users gain access to specialized tools for different data scenarios:
LZ4 uses a small dictionary (usually defaulting to 8MB) compared to LZMA2's dictionary (often 256MB+), which means it runs smoothly on systems with limited RAM. modded 7zip for lz4
LZ4 can compress and decompress data at speeds approaching the limits of RAM and SSD bandwidth.
The mod allows you to swap hash algorithms (XXH32, XXH64) to match the high speed of the compression, preventing the checksum process from becoming a bottleneck. Multithreading:
Since the official release of 7-Zip (by Igor Pavlov) does natively support LZ4, users must rely on specific "modded" forks. The most prominent and trusted of these is the 7-Zip ZS fork. The modification of 7-Zip to support the LZ4
It is ideal for live backups or moving large data sets where waiting for a progress bar is not an option.
Always ensure you are downloading from a reputable source like the 7-Zip-zstd GitHub to ensure the binaries are safe. Option 2: Casual/Social Media Style (X/Twitter or Mastodon) Headline: LZ4 + 7-Zip = ⚡️
This version is an extension of the original 7-Zip that integrates several advanced compression algorithms, including: (Fastest) Zstandard (Zstd): (Excellent balance of speed/ratio) Brotli: (High-quality compression) By using a modded version like 7-Zip ZS,
Since the official 7-Zip doesn't natively support LZ4, developers like and the team at tc4shell took matters into their own hands:
Similar to the Zstd fork, this project focuses on "extra" codecs. It is frequently used in the gaming community for repacking assets where decompression speed is critical for fast load times. How to Use LZ4 in 7-Zip