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Command Line Interface for Zstandard library
============================================
Command Line Interface (CLI) can be created using the `make` command without any additional parameters.
There are however other Makefile targets that create different variations of CLI:
- `zstd` : default CLI supporting gzip-like arguments; includes dictionary builder, benchmark, and support for decompression of legacy zstd formats
- `zstd_nolegacy` : Same as `zstd` but without support for legacy zstd formats
- `zstd-small` : CLI optimized for minimal size; no dictionary builder, no benchmark, and no support for legacy zstd formats
- `zstd-compress` : version of CLI which can only compress into zstd format
- `zstd-decompress` : version of CLI which can only decompress zstd format
### Compilation variables
`zstd` scope can be altered by modifying the following `make` variables :
- __HAVE_THREAD__ : multithreading is automatically enabled when `pthread` is detected.
It's possible to disable multithread support, by setting `HAVE_THREAD=0`.
Example : `make zstd HAVE_THREAD=0`
It's also possible to force multithread support, using `HAVE_THREAD=1`.
In which case, linking stage will fail if neither `pthread` nor `windows.h` library can be found.
This is useful to ensure this feature is not silently disabled.
- __ZSTD_LEGACY_SUPPORT__ : `zstd` can decompress files compressed by older versions of `zstd`.
Starting v0.8.0, all versions of `zstd` produce frames compliant with the [specification](../doc/zstd_compression_format.md), and are therefore compatible.
But older versions (< v0.8.0) produced different, incompatible, frames.
By default, `zstd` supports decoding legacy formats >= v0.4.0 (`ZSTD_LEGACY_SUPPORT=4`).
This can be altered by modifying this compilation variable.
`ZSTD_LEGACY_SUPPORT=1` means "support all formats >= v0.1.0".
`ZSTD_LEGACY_SUPPORT=2` means "support all formats >= v0.2.0", and so on.
`ZSTD_LEGACY_SUPPORT=0` means _DO NOT_ support any legacy format.
if `ZSTD_LEGACY_SUPPORT >= 8`, it's the same as `0`, since there is no legacy format after `7`.
Note : `zstd` only supports decoding older formats, and cannot generate any legacy format.
- __HAVE_ZLIB__ : `zstd` can compress and decompress files in `.gz` format.
This is ordered through command `--format=gzip`.
Alternatively, symlinks named `gzip` or `gunzip` will mimic intended behavior.
`.gz` support is automatically enabled when `zlib` library is detected at build time.
It's possible to disable `.gz` support, by setting `HAVE_ZLIB=0`.
Example : `make zstd HAVE_ZLIB=0`
It's also possible to force compilation with zlib support, using `HAVE_ZLIB=1`.
In which case, linking stage will fail if `zlib` library cannot be found.
This is useful to prevent silent feature disabling.
- __HAVE_LZMA__ : `zstd` can compress and decompress files in `.xz` and `.lzma` formats.
This is ordered through commands `--format=xz` and `--format=lzma` respectively.
Alternatively, symlinks named `xz`, `unxz`, `lzma`, or `unlzma` will mimic intended behavior.
`.xz` and `.lzma` support is automatically enabled when `lzma` library is detected at build time.
It's possible to disable `.xz` and `.lzma` support, by setting `HAVE_LZMA=0`.
Example : `make zstd HAVE_LZMA=0`
It's also possible to force compilation with lzma support, using `HAVE_LZMA=1`.
In which case, linking stage will fail if `lzma` library cannot be found.
This is useful to prevent silent feature disabling.
- __HAVE_LZ4__ : `zstd` can compress and decompress files in `.lz4` formats.
This is ordered through commands `--format=lz4`.
Alternatively, symlinks named `lz4`, or `unlz4` will mimic intended behavior.
`.lz4` support is automatically enabled when `lz4` library is detected at build time.
It's possible to disable `.lz4` support, by setting `HAVE_LZ4=0` .
Example : `make zstd HAVE_LZ4=0`
It's also possible to force compilation with lz4 support, using `HAVE_LZ4=1`.
In which case, linking stage will fail if `lz4` library cannot be found.
This is useful to prevent silent feature disabling.
- __ZSTD_NOBENCH__ : `zstd` cli will be compiled without its integrated benchmark module.
This can be useful to produce smaller binaries.
In this case, the corresponding unit can also be excluded from compilation target.
- __ZSTD_NODICT__ : `zstd` cli will be compiled without support for the integrated dictionary builder.
This can be useful to produce smaller binaries.
In this case, the corresponding unit can also be excluded from compilation target.
- __ZSTD_NOCOMPRESS__ : `zstd` cli will be compiled without support for compression.
The resulting binary will only be able to decompress files.
This can be useful to produce smaller binaries.
A corresponding `Makefile` target using this ability is `zstd-decompress`.
- __ZSTD_NODECOMPRESS__ : `zstd` cli will be compiled without support for decompression.
The resulting binary will only be able to compress files.
This can be useful to produce smaller binaries.
A corresponding `Makefile` target using this ability is `zstd-compress`.
- __BACKTRACE__ : `zstd` can display a stack backtrace when execution
generates a runtime exception. By default, this feature may be
degraded/disabled on some platforms unless additional compiler directives are
applied. When triaging a runtime issue, enabling this feature can provide
more context to determine the location of the fault.
Example : `make zstd BACKTRACE=1`
### Aggregation of parameters
CLI supports aggregation of parameters i.e. `-b1`, `-e18`, and `-i1` can be joined into `-b1e18i1`.
### Symlink shortcuts
It's possible to invoke `zstd` through a symlink.
When the name of the symlink has a specific value, it triggers an associated behavior.
- `zstdmt` : compress using all cores available on local system.
- `zcat` : will decompress and output target file using any of the supported formats. `gzcat` and `zstdcat` are also equivalent.
- `gzip` : if zlib support is enabled, will mimic `gzip` by compressing file using `.gz` format, removing source file by default (use `--keep` to preserve). If zlib is not supported, triggers an error.
- `xz` : if lzma support is enabled, will mimic `xz` by compressing file using `.xz` format, removing source file by default (use `--keep` to preserve). If xz is not supported, triggers an error.
- `lzma` : if lzma support is enabled, will mimic `lzma` by compressing file using `.lzma` format, removing source file by default (use `--keep` to preserve). If lzma is not supported, triggers an error.
- `lz4` : if lz4 support is enabled, will mimic `lz4` by compressing file using `.lz4` format. If lz4 is not supported, triggers an error.
- `unzstd` and `unlz4` will decompress any of the supported format.
- `ungz`, `unxz` and `unlzma` will do the same, and will also remove source file by default (use `--keep` to preserve).
### Dictionary builder in Command Line Interface
Zstd offers a training mode, which can be used to tune the algorithm for a selected
type of data, by providing it with a few samples. The result of the training is stored
in a file selected with the `-o` option (default name is `dictionary`),
which can be loaded before compression and decompression.
Using a dictionary, the compression ratio achievable on small data improves dramatically.
These compression gains are achieved while simultaneously providing faster compression and decompression speeds.
Dictionary work if there is some correlation in a family of small data (there is no universal dictionary).
Hence, deploying one dictionary per type of data will provide the greater benefits.
Dictionary gains are mostly effective in the first few KB. Then, the compression algorithm
will rely more and more on previously decoded content to compress the rest of the file.
Usage of the dictionary builder and created dictionaries with CLI:
1. Create the dictionary : `zstd --train PathToTrainingSet/* -o dictionaryName`
2. Compress with the dictionary: `zstd FILE -D dictionaryName`
3. Decompress with the dictionary: `zstd --decompress FILE.zst -D dictionaryName`
### Benchmark in Command Line Interface
CLI includes in-memory compression benchmark module for zstd.
The benchmark is conducted using given filenames. The files are read into memory and joined together.
It makes benchmark more precise as it eliminates I/O overhead.
Multiple filenames can be supplied, as multiple parameters, with wildcards,
or names of directories can be used as parameters with `-r` option.
The benchmark measures ratio, compressed size, compression and decompression speed.
One can select compression levels starting from `-b` and ending with `-e`.
The `-i` parameter selects minimal time used for each of tested levels.
### Usage of Command Line Interface
The full list of options can be obtained with `-h` or `-H` parameter:
```
Usage :
zstd [args] [FILE(s)] [-o file]
FILE : a filename
with no FILE, or when FILE is - , read standard input
Arguments :
-# : # compression level (1-19, default: 3)
-d : decompression
-D file: use `file` as Dictionary
-o file: result stored into `file` (only if 1 input file)
-f : overwrite output without prompting and (de)compress links
--rm : remove source file(s) after successful de/compression
-k : preserve source file(s) (default)
-h/-H : display help/long help and exit
Advanced arguments :
-V : display Version number and exit
-v : verbose mode; specify multiple times to increase verbosity
-q : suppress warnings; specify twice to suppress errors too
-c : force write to standard output, even if it is the console
-l : print information about zstd compressed files
--exclude-compressed: only compress files that are not previously compressed
--ultra : enable levels beyond 19, up to 22 (requires more memory)
--long[=#]: enable long distance matching with given window log (default: 27)
--fast[=#]: switch to very fast compression levels (default: 1)
--adapt : dynamically adapt compression level to I/O conditions
--stream-size=# : optimize compression parameters for streaming input of given number of bytes
--size-hint=# optimize compression parameters for streaming input of approximately this size
--target-compressed-block-size=# : make compressed block near targeted size
-T# : spawns # compression threads (default: 1, 0==# cores)
-B# : select size of each job (default: 0==automatic)
--rsyncable : compress using a rsync-friendly method (-B sets block size)
--no-dictID : don't write dictID into header (dictionary compression)
--[no-]check : integrity check (default: enabled)
--[no-]compress-literals : force (un)compressed literals
-r : operate recursively on directories
--output-dir-flat[=directory]: all resulting files stored into `directory`.
--format=zstd : compress files to the .zst format (default)
--format=gzip : compress files to the .gz format
--test : test compressed file integrity
--[no-]sparse : sparse mode (default: disabled)
-M# : Set a memory usage limit for decompression
--no-progress : do not display the progress bar
-- : All arguments after "--" are treated as files
Dictionary builder :
--train ## : create a dictionary from a training set of files
--train-cover[=k=#,d=#,steps=#,split=#,shrink[=#]] : use the cover algorithm with optional args
--train-fastcover[=k=#,d=#,f=#,steps=#,split=#,accel=#,shrink[=#]] : use the fast cover algorithm with optional args
--train-legacy[=s=#] : use the legacy algorithm with selectivity (default: 9)
-o file : `file` is dictionary name (default: dictionary)
--maxdict=# : limit dictionary to specified size (default: 112640)
--dictID=# : force dictionary ID to specified value (default: random)
Benchmark arguments :
-b# : benchmark file(s), using # compression level (default: 3)
-e# : test all compression levels from -bX to # (default: 1)
-i# : minimum evaluation time in seconds (default: 3s)
-B# : cut file into independent blocks of size # (default: no block)
--priority=rt : set process priority to real-time
```
### Passing parameters through Environment Variables
`ZSTD_CLEVEL` can be used to modify the default compression level of `zstd`
(usually set to `3`) to another value between 1 and 19 (the "normal" range).
This can be useful when `zstd` CLI is invoked in a way that doesn't allow passing arguments.
One such scenario is `tar --zstd`.
As `ZSTD_CLEVEL` only replaces the default compression level,
it can then be overridden by corresponding command line arguments.
There is no "generic" way to pass "any kind of parameter" to `zstd` in a pass-through manner.
Using environment variables for this purpose has security implications.
Therefore, this avenue is intentionally restricted and only supports `ZSTD_CLEVEL`.
### Long distance matching mode
The long distance matching mode, enabled with `--long`, is designed to improve
the compression ratio for files with long matches at a large distance (up to the
maximum window size, `128 MiB`) while still maintaining compression speed.
Enabling this mode sets the window size to `128 MiB` and thus increases the memory
usage for both the compressor and decompressor. Performance in terms of speed is
dependent on long matches being found. Compression speed may degrade if few long
matches are found. Decompression speed usually improves when there are many long
distance matches.
Below are graphs comparing the compression speed, compression ratio, and
decompression speed with and without long distance matching on an ideal use
case: a tar of four versions of clang (versions `3.4.1`, `3.4.2`, `3.5.0`,
`3.5.1`) with a total size of `244889600 B`. This is an ideal use case as there
are many long distance matches within the maximum window size of `128 MiB` (each
version is less than `128 MiB`).
Compression Speed vs Ratio | Decompression Speed
---------------------------|---------------------
 | 
| Method | Compression ratio | Compression speed | Decompression speed |
|:-------|------------------:|-------------------------:|---------------------------:|
| `zstd -1` | `5.065` | `284.8 MB/s` | `759.3 MB/s` |
| `zstd -5` | `5.826` | `124.9 MB/s` | `674.0 MB/s` |
| `zstd -10` | `6.504` | `29.5 MB/s` | `771.3 MB/s` |
| `zstd -1 --long` | `17.426` | `220.6 MB/s` | `1638.4 MB/s` |
| `zstd -5 --long` | `19.661` | `165.5 MB/s` | `1530.6 MB/s` |
| `zstd -10 --long`| `21.949` | `75.6 MB/s` | `1632.6 MB/s` |
On this file, the compression ratio improves significantly with minimal impact
on compression speed, and the decompression speed doubles.
On the other extreme, compressing a file with few long distance matches (such as
the [Silesia compression corpus]) will likely lead to a deterioration in
compression speed (for lower levels) with minimal change in compression ratio.
The below table illustrates this on the [Silesia compression corpus].
[Silesia compression corpus]: http://sun.aei.polsl.pl/~sdeor/index.php?page=silesia
| Method | Compression ratio | Compression speed | Decompression speed |
|:-------|------------------:|------------------:|---------------------:|
| `zstd -1` | `2.878` | `231.7 MB/s` | `594.4 MB/s` |
| `zstd -1 --long` | `2.929` | `106.5 MB/s` | `517.9 MB/s` |
| `zstd -5` | `3.274` | `77.1 MB/s` | `464.2 MB/s` |
| `zstd -5 --long` | `3.319` | `51.7 MB/s` | `371.9 MB/s` |
| `zstd -10` | `3.523` | `16.4 MB/s` | `489.2 MB/s` |
| `zstd -10 --long`| `3.566` | `16.2 MB/s` | `415.7 MB/s` |
### zstdgrep
`zstdgrep` is a utility which makes it possible to `grep` directly a `.zst` compressed file.
It's used the same way as normal `grep`, for example :
`zstdgrep pattern file.zst`
`zstdgrep` is _not_ compatible with dictionary compression.
To search into a file compressed with a dictionary,
it's necessary to decompress it using `zstd` or `zstdcat`,
and then pipe the result to `grep`. For example :
`zstdcat -D dictionary -qc -- file.zst | grep pattern`
|
