programs/lz4.1.md - lz4 - Rivoreo Source Code Repositories

 lz4(1) -- lz4, unlz4, lz4cat - Compress or decompress .lz4 files
 ================================================================

 SYNOPSIS
 --------

 `lz4` [*OPTIONS*] [-|INPUT-FILE] <OUTPUT-FILE>

 `unlz4` is equivalent to `lz4 -d`

 `lz4cat` is equivalent to `lz4 -dcfm`

 When writing scripts that need to decompress files,
 it is recommended to always use the name `lz4` with appropriate arguments
 (`lz4 -d` or `lz4 -dc`) instead of the names `unlz4` and `lz4cat`.


 DESCRIPTION
 -----------

 `lz4` is an extremely fast lossless compression algorithm,
 based on **byte-aligned LZ77** family of compression scheme.
 `lz4` offers compression speeds of 400 MB/s per core, linearly scalable with
 multi-core CPUs.
 It features an extremely fast decoder, with speed in multiple GB/s per core,
 typically reaching RAM speed limit on multi-core systems.
 The native file format is the `.lz4` format.

 ### Difference between lz4 and gzip

 `lz4` supports a command line syntax similar _but not identical_ to `gzip(1)`.
 Differences are :

   * `lz4` preserves original files
   * `lz4` compresses a single file by default (see `-m` for multiple files)
   * `lz4 file1 file2` means : compress file1 _into_ file2
   * `lz4 file.lz4` will default to decompression (use `-z` to force compression)
   * `lz4` shows real-time notification statistics
      during compression or decompression of a single file
      (use `-q` to silent them)
   * If no destination name is provided, result is sent to `stdout`
     _except if stdout is the console_.
   * If no destination name is provided, __and__ if `stdout` is the console,
     `file` is compressed into `file.lz4`.
   * As a consequence of previous rules, note the following example :
     `lz4 file | consumer` sends compressed data to `consumer` through `stdout`,
     hence it does _not_ create `file.lz4`.

 Default behaviors can be modified by opt-in commands, detailed below.

   * `lz4 -m` makes it possible to provide multiple input filenames,
     which will be compressed into files using suffix `.lz4`.
     Progress notifications are also disabled by default (use `-v` to enable them).
     This mode has a behavior which more closely mimics `gzip` command line,
     with the main remaining difference being that source files are preserved by default.
   * Similarly, `lz4 -m -d` can decompress multiple `*.lz4` files.
   * It's possible to opt-in to erase source files
     on successful compression or decompression, using `--rm` command.
   * Consequently, `lz4 -m --rm` behaves the same as `gzip`.

 ### Concatenation of .lz4 files

 It is possible to concatenate `.lz4` files as is.
 `lz4` will decompress such files as if they were a single `.lz4` file.
 For example:
     lz4 file1  > foo.lz4
     lz4 file2 >> foo.lz4

 then
     lz4cat foo.lz4

 is equivalent to :
     cat file1 file2


 OPTIONS
 -------

 ### Short commands concatenation

 In some cases, some options can be expressed using short command `-x`
 or long command `--long-word`.
 Short commands can be concatenated together.
 For example, `-d -c` is equivalent to `-dc`.
 Long commands cannot be concatenated.
 They must be clearly separated by a space.

 ### Multiple commands

 When multiple contradictory commands are issued on a same command line,
 only the latest one will be applied.

 ### Operation mode

 * `-z` `--compress`:
   Compress.
   This is the default operation mode when no operation mode option is
   specified, no other operation mode is implied from the command name
   (for example, `unlz4` implies `--decompress`),
   nor from the input file name
   (for example, a file extension `.lz4` implies  `--decompress` by default).
   `-z` can also be used to force compression of an already compressed
   `.lz4` file.

 * `-d` `--decompress` `--uncompress`:
   Decompress.
   `--decompress` is also the default operation when the input filename has an
   `.lz4` extension.

 * `-t` `--test`:
   Test the integrity of compressed `.lz4` files.
   The decompressed data is discarded.
   No files are created nor removed.

 * `-b#`:
   Benchmark mode, using `#` compression level.

 ### Operation modifiers

 * `-#`:
   Compression level, with # being any value from 1 to 16.
   Higher values trade compression speed for compression ratio.
   Values above 16 are considered the same as 16.
   Recommended values are 1 for fast compression (default),
   and 9 for high compression.
   Speed/compression trade-off will vary depending on data to compress.
   Decompression speed remains fast at all settings.

 * `-f` `--[no-]force`:
   This option has several effects:

   If the target file already exists, overwrite it without prompting.

   When used with `--decompress` and `lz4` cannot recognize the type of
   the source file, copy the source file as is to standard output.
   This allows `lz4cat --force` to be used like `cat (1)` for files
   that have not been compressed with `lz4`.

 * `-c` `--stdout` `--to-stdout`:
   Force write to standard output, even if it is the console.

 * `-m` `--multiple`:
   Multiple input files.
   Compressed file names will be appended a `.lz4` suffix.
   This mode also reduces notification level.
   `lz4 -m` has a behavior equivalent to `gzip -k`
   (it preserves source files by default).

 * `-r` :
   operate recursively on directories.
   This mode also sets `-m` (multiple input files).

 * `-B#`:
   Block size \[4-7\](default : 7)<br/>
   `-B4`= 64KB ; `-B5`= 256KB ; `-B6`= 1MB ; `-B7`= 4MB

 * `-BD`:
   Block Dependency (improves compression ratio on small blocks)

 * `--[no-]frame-crc`:
   Select frame checksum (default:enabled)

 * `--[no-]content-size`:
   Header includes original size (default:not present)<br/>
   Note : this option can only be activated when the original size can be
   determined, hence for a file. It won't work with unknown source size,
   such as stdin or pipe.

 * `--[no-]sparse`:
   Sparse mode support (default:enabled on file, disabled on stdout)

 * `-l`:
   Use Legacy format (typically for Linux Kernel compression)<br/>
   Note : `-l` is not compatible with `-m` (`--multiple`) nor `-r`

 ### Other options

 * `-v` `--verbose`:
   Verbose mode

 * `-q` `--quiet`:
   Suppress warnings and real-time statistics;
   specify twice to suppress errors too

 * `-h` `-H` `--help`:
   Display help/long help and exit

 * `-V` `--version`:
   Display Version number and exit

 * `-k` `--keep`:
   Preserve source files (default behavior)

 * `--rm` :
   Delete source files on successful compression or decompression


 ### Benchmark mode

 * `-b#`:
   Benchmark file(s), using # compression level

 * `-e#`:
   Benchmark multiple compression levels, from b# to e# (included)

 * `-i#`:
   Minimum evaluation in seconds \[1-9\] (default : 3)


 BUGS
 ----

 Report bugs at: https://github.com/lz4/lz4/issues


 AUTHOR
 ------

 Yann Collet
	lz4(1) -- lz4, unlz4, lz4cat - Compress or decompress .lz4 files
	================================================================

	SYNOPSIS
	--------

	`lz4` [OPTIONS] [-\|INPUT-FILE] <OUTPUT-FILE>

	`unlz4` is equivalent to `lz4 -d`

	`lz4cat` is equivalent to `lz4 -dcfm`

	When writing scripts that need to decompress files,
	it is recommended to always use the name `lz4` with appropriate arguments
	(`lz4 -d` or `lz4 -dc`) instead of the names `unlz4` and `lz4cat`.


	DESCRIPTION
	-----------

	`lz4` is an extremely fast lossless compression algorithm,
	based on byte-aligned LZ77 family of compression scheme.
	`lz4` offers compression speeds of 400 MB/s per core, linearly scalable with
	multi-core CPUs.
	It features an extremely fast decoder, with speed in multiple GB/s per core,
	typically reaching RAM speed limit on multi-core systems.
	The native file format is the `.lz4` format.

	### Difference between lz4 and gzip

	`lz4` supports a command line syntax similar _but not identical_ to `gzip(1)`.
	Differences are :

	* `lz4` preserves original files
	* `lz4` compresses a single file by default (see `-m` for multiple files)
	* `lz4 file1 file2` means : compress file1 _into_ file2
	* `lz4 file.lz4` will default to decompression (use `-z` to force compression)
	* `lz4` shows real-time notification statistics
	during compression or decompression of a single file
	(use `-q` to silent them)
	* If no destination name is provided, result is sent to `stdout`
	_except if stdout is the console_.
	* If no destination name is provided, __and__ if `stdout` is the console,
	`file` is compressed into `file.lz4`.
	* As a consequence of previous rules, note the following example :
	`lz4 file \| consumer` sends compressed data to `consumer` through `stdout`,
	hence it does _not_ create `file.lz4`.

	Default behaviors can be modified by opt-in commands, detailed below.

	* `lz4 -m` makes it possible to provide multiple input filenames,
	which will be compressed into files using suffix `.lz4`.
	Progress notifications are also disabled by default (use `-v` to enable them).
	This mode has a behavior which more closely mimics `gzip` command line,
	with the main remaining difference being that source files are preserved by default.
	* Similarly, `lz4 -m -d` can decompress multiple `*.lz4` files.
	* It's possible to opt-in to erase source files
	on successful compression or decompression, using `--rm` command.
	* Consequently, `lz4 -m --rm` behaves the same as `gzip`.

	### Concatenation of .lz4 files

	It is possible to concatenate `.lz4` files as is.
	`lz4` will decompress such files as if they were a single `.lz4` file.
	For example:
	lz4 file1 > foo.lz4
	lz4 file2 >> foo.lz4

	then
	lz4cat foo.lz4

	is equivalent to :
	cat file1 file2


	OPTIONS
	-------

	### Short commands concatenation

	In some cases, some options can be expressed using short command `-x`
	or long command `--long-word`.
	Short commands can be concatenated together.
	For example, `-d -c` is equivalent to `-dc`.
	Long commands cannot be concatenated.
	They must be clearly separated by a space.

	### Multiple commands

	When multiple contradictory commands are issued on a same command line,
	only the latest one will be applied.

	### Operation mode

	* `-z` `--compress`:
	Compress.
	This is the default operation mode when no operation mode option is
	specified, no other operation mode is implied from the command name
	(for example, `unlz4` implies `--decompress`),
	nor from the input file name
	(for example, a file extension `.lz4` implies `--decompress` by default).
	`-z` can also be used to force compression of an already compressed
	`.lz4` file.

	* `-d` `--decompress` `--uncompress`:
	Decompress.
	`--decompress` is also the default operation when the input filename has an
	`.lz4` extension.

	* `-t` `--test`:
	Test the integrity of compressed `.lz4` files.
	The decompressed data is discarded.
	No files are created nor removed.

	* `-b#`:
	Benchmark mode, using `#` compression level.

	### Operation modifiers

	* `-#`:
	Compression level, with # being any value from 1 to 16.
	Higher values trade compression speed for compression ratio.
	Values above 16 are considered the same as 16.
	Recommended values are 1 for fast compression (default),
	and 9 for high compression.
	Speed/compression trade-off will vary depending on data to compress.
	Decompression speed remains fast at all settings.

	* `-f` `--[no-]force`:
	This option has several effects:

	If the target file already exists, overwrite it without prompting.

	When used with `--decompress` and `lz4` cannot recognize the type of
	the source file, copy the source file as is to standard output.
	This allows `lz4cat --force` to be used like `cat (1)` for files
	that have not been compressed with `lz4`.

	* `-c` `--stdout` `--to-stdout`:
	Force write to standard output, even if it is the console.

	* `-m` `--multiple`:
	Multiple input files.
	Compressed file names will be appended a `.lz4` suffix.
	This mode also reduces notification level.
	`lz4 -m` has a behavior equivalent to `gzip -k`
	(it preserves source files by default).

	* `-r` :
	operate recursively on directories.
	This mode also sets `-m` (multiple input files).

	* `-B#`:
	Block size \[4-7\](default : 7)<br/>
	`-B4`= 64KB ; `-B5`= 256KB ; `-B6`= 1MB ; `-B7`= 4MB

	* `-BD`:
	Block Dependency (improves compression ratio on small blocks)

	* `--[no-]frame-crc`:
	Select frame checksum (default:enabled)

	* `--[no-]content-size`:
	Header includes original size (default:not present)<br/>
	Note : this option can only be activated when the original size can be
	determined, hence for a file. It won't work with unknown source size,
	such as stdin or pipe.

	* `--[no-]sparse`:
	Sparse mode support (default:enabled on file, disabled on stdout)

	* `-l`:
	Use Legacy format (typically for Linux Kernel compression)<br/>
	Note : `-l` is not compatible with `-m` (`--multiple`) nor `-r`

	### Other options

	* `-v` `--verbose`:
	Verbose mode

	* `-q` `--quiet`:
	Suppress warnings and real-time statistics;
	specify twice to suppress errors too

	* `-h` `-H` `--help`:
	Display help/long help and exit

	* `-V` `--version`:
	Display Version number and exit

	* `-k` `--keep`:
	Preserve source files (default behavior)

	* `--rm` :
	Delete source files on successful compression or decompression


	### Benchmark mode

	* `-b#`:
	Benchmark file(s), using # compression level

	* `-e#`:
	Benchmark multiple compression levels, from b# to e# (included)

	* `-i#`:
	Minimum evaluation in seconds \[1-9\] (default : 3)


	BUGS
	----

	Report bugs at: https://github.com/lz4/lz4/issues


	AUTHOR
	------

	Yann Collet