LZ4 is lossless compression algorithm, providing compression speed at 400 MB/s per core,
scalable with multi-cores CPU. It features an extremely fast decoder, with speed in
multiple GB/s per core, typically reaching RAM speed limits on multi-core systems.
The LZ4 compression library provides in-memory compression and decompression functions.
Compression can be done in:
- a single step (described as Simple Functions)
- a single step, reusing a context (described in Advanced Functions)
- unbounded multiple steps (described as Streaming compression)
lz4.h provides block compression functions. It gives full buffer control to user.
Decompressing an lz4-compressed block also requires metadata (such as compressed size).
Each application is free to encode such metadata in whichever way it wants.
An additional format, called LZ4 frame specification (doc/lz4_Frame_format.md),
take care of encoding standard metadata alongside LZ4-compressed blocks.
If your application requires interoperability, it's recommended to use it.
A library is provided to take care of it, see lz4frame.h.
int LZ4_versionNumber (void); /**< library version number; to be used when checking dll version */
const char* LZ4_versionString (void); /**< library version string; to be used when checking dll version */
#ifndef LZ4_MEMORY_USAGE # define LZ4_MEMORY_USAGE 14 #endifMemory usage formula : N->2^N Bytes (examples : 10 -> 1KB; 12 -> 4KB ; 16 -> 64KB; 20 -> 1MB; etc.) Increasing memory usage improves compression ratio Reduced memory usage can improve speed, due to cache effect Default value is 14, for 16KB, which nicely fits into Intel x86 L1 cache
int LZ4_compress_default(const char* source, char* dest, int sourceSize, int maxDestSize);Compresses 'sourceSize' bytes from buffer 'source' into already allocated 'dest' buffer of size 'maxDestSize'. Compression is guaranteed to succeed if 'maxDestSize' >= LZ4_compressBound(sourceSize). It also runs faster, so it's a recommended setting. If the function cannot compress 'source' into a more limited 'dest' budget, compression stops *immediately*, and the function result is zero. As a consequence, 'dest' content is not valid. This function never writes outside 'dest' buffer, nor read outside 'source' buffer. sourceSize : Max supported value is LZ4_MAX_INPUT_VALUE maxDestSize : full or partial size of buffer 'dest' (which must be already allocated) return : the number of bytes written into buffer 'dest' (necessarily <= maxOutputSize) or 0 if compression fails
int LZ4_decompress_safe (const char* source, char* dest, int compressedSize, int maxDecompressedSize);compressedSize : is the precise full size of the compressed block. maxDecompressedSize : is the size of destination buffer, which must be already allocated. return : the number of bytes decompressed into destination buffer (necessarily <= maxDecompressedSize) If destination buffer is not large enough, decoding will stop and output an error code (<0). If the source stream is detected malformed, the function will stop decoding and return a negative result. This function is protected against buffer overflow exploits, including malicious data packets. It never writes outside output buffer, nor reads outside input buffer.
int LZ4_compressBound(int inputSize);Provides the maximum size that LZ4 compression may output in a "worst case" scenario (input data not compressible) This function is primarily useful for memory allocation purposes (destination buffer size). Macro LZ4_COMPRESSBOUND() is also provided for compilation-time evaluation (stack memory allocation for example). Note that LZ4_compress_default() compress faster when dest buffer size is >= LZ4_compressBound(srcSize) inputSize : max supported value is LZ4_MAX_INPUT_SIZE return : maximum output size in a "worst case" scenario or 0, if input size is too large ( > LZ4_MAX_INPUT_SIZE)
int LZ4_compress_fast (const char* source, char* dest, int sourceSize, int maxDestSize, int acceleration);Same as LZ4_compress_default(), but allows to select an "acceleration" factor. The larger the acceleration value, the faster the algorithm, but also the lesser the compression. It's a trade-off. It can be fine tuned, with each successive value providing roughly +~3% to speed. An acceleration value of "1" is the same as regular LZ4_compress_default() Values <= 0 will be replaced by ACCELERATION_DEFAULT (see lz4.c), which is 1.
int LZ4_sizeofState(void); int LZ4_compress_fast_extState (void* state, const char* source, char* dest, int inputSize, int maxDestSize, int acceleration);Same compression function, just using an externally allocated memory space to store compression state. Use LZ4_sizeofState() to know how much memory must be allocated, and allocate it on 8-bytes boundaries (using malloc() typically). Then, provide it as 'void* state' to compression function.
int LZ4_compress_destSize (const char* source, char* dest, int* sourceSizePtr, int targetDestSize);Reverse the logic, by compressing as much data as possible from 'source' buffer into already allocated buffer 'dest' of size 'targetDestSize'. This function either compresses the entire 'source' content into 'dest' if it's large enough, or fill 'dest' buffer completely with as much data as possible from 'source'. *sourceSizePtr : will be modified to indicate how many bytes where read from 'source' to fill 'dest'. New value is necessarily <= old value. return : Nb bytes written into 'dest' (necessarily <= targetDestSize) or 0 if compression fails
int LZ4_decompress_fast (const char* source, char* dest, int originalSize);originalSize : is the original and therefore uncompressed size return : the number of bytes read from the source buffer (in other words, the compressed size) If the source stream is detected malformed, the function will stop decoding and return a negative result. Destination buffer must be already allocated. Its size must be a minimum of 'originalSize' bytes. note : This function fully respect memory boundaries for properly formed compressed data. It is a bit faster than LZ4_decompress_safe(). However, it does not provide any protection against intentionally modified data stream (malicious input). Use this function in trusted environment only (data to decode comes from a trusted source).
int LZ4_decompress_safe_partial (const char* source, char* dest, int compressedSize, int targetOutputSize, int maxDecompressedSize);This function decompress a compressed block of size 'compressedSize' at position 'source' into destination buffer 'dest' of size 'maxDecompressedSize'. The function tries to stop decompressing operation as soon as 'targetOutputSize' has been reached, reducing decompression time. return : the number of bytes decoded in the destination buffer (necessarily <= maxDecompressedSize) Note : this number can be < 'targetOutputSize' should the compressed block to decode be smaller. Always control how many bytes were decoded. If the source stream is detected malformed, the function will stop decoding and return a negative result. This function never writes outside of output buffer, and never reads outside of input buffer. It is therefore protected against malicious data packets
LZ4_stream_t* LZ4_createStream(void); int LZ4_freeStream (LZ4_stream_t* streamPtr);LZ4_createStream() will allocate and initialize an `LZ4_stream_t` structure. LZ4_freeStream() releases its memory.
void LZ4_resetStream (LZ4_stream_t* streamPtr);An LZ4_stream_t structure can be allocated once and re-used multiple times. Use this function to init an allocated `LZ4_stream_t` structure and start a new compression.
int LZ4_loadDict (LZ4_stream_t* streamPtr, const char* dictionary, int dictSize);Use this function to load a static dictionary into LZ4_stream. Any previous data will be forgotten, only 'dictionary' will remain in memory. Loading a size of 0 is allowed. Return : dictionary size, in bytes (necessarily <= 64 KB)
int LZ4_compress_fast_continue (LZ4_stream_t* streamPtr, const char* src, char* dst, int srcSize, int dstCapacity, int acceleration);Compress buffer content 'src', using data from previously compressed blocks as dictionary to improve compression ratio. Important : Previous data blocks are assumed to remain present and unmodified ! 'dst' buffer must be already allocated. If dstCapacity >= LZ4_compressBound(srcSize), compression is guaranteed to succeed, and runs faster. If not, and if compressed data cannot fit into 'dst' buffer size, compression stops, and function @return==0. After an error, the stream status is invalid, it can only be reset or freed.
int LZ4_saveDict (LZ4_stream_t* streamPtr, char* safeBuffer, int dictSize);If previously compressed data block is not guaranteed to remain available at its current memory location, save it into a safer place (char* safeBuffer). Note : it's not necessary to call LZ4_loadDict() after LZ4_saveDict(), dictionary is immediately usable. @return : saved dictionary size in bytes (necessarily <= dictSize), or 0 if error.
Bufferless synchronous API
LZ4_streamDecode_t* LZ4_createStreamDecode(void); int LZ4_freeStreamDecode (LZ4_streamDecode_t* LZ4_stream);creation / destruction of streaming decompression tracking structure
int LZ4_setStreamDecode (LZ4_streamDecode_t* LZ4_streamDecode, const char* dictionary, int dictSize);Use this function to instruct where to find the dictionary. Setting a size of 0 is allowed (same effect as reset). @return : 1 if OK, 0 if error
int LZ4_decompress_safe_continue (LZ4_streamDecode_t* LZ4_streamDecode, const char* source, char* dest, int compressedSize, int maxDecompressedSize); int LZ4_decompress_fast_continue (LZ4_streamDecode_t* LZ4_streamDecode, const char* source, char* dest, int originalSize);These decoding functions allow decompression of multiple blocks in "streaming" mode. Previously decoded blocks *must* remain available at the memory position where they were decoded (up to 64 KB) In the case of a ring buffers, decoding buffer must be either : - Exactly same size as encoding buffer, with same update rule (block boundaries at same positions) In which case, the decoding & encoding ring buffer can have any size, including very small ones ( < 64 KB). - Larger than encoding buffer, by a minimum of maxBlockSize more bytes. maxBlockSize is implementation dependent. It's the maximum size you intend to compress into a single block. In which case, encoding and decoding buffers do not need to be synchronized, and encoding ring buffer can have any size, including small ones ( < 64 KB). - _At least_ 64 KB + 8 bytes + maxBlockSize. In which case, encoding and decoding buffers do not need to be synchronized, and encoding ring buffer can have any size, including larger than decoding buffer. Whenever these conditions are not possible, save the last 64KB of decoded data into a safe buffer, and indicate where it is saved using LZ4_setStreamDecode()
int LZ4_decompress_safe_usingDict (const char* source, char* dest, int compressedSize, int maxDecompressedSize, const char* dictStart, int dictSize); int LZ4_decompress_fast_usingDict (const char* source, char* dest, int originalSize, const char* dictStart, int dictSize);These decoding functions work the same as a combination of LZ4_setStreamDecode() followed by LZ4_decompress_*_continue() They are stand-alone, and don't need an LZ4_streamDecode_t structure.
Do not use these definitions. They are exposed to allow static allocation of `LZ4_stream_t` and `LZ4_streamDecode_t`. Using these definitions will expose code to API and/or ABI break in future versions of the library.
typedef struct {
uint32_t hashTable[LZ4_HASH_SIZE_U32];
uint32_t currentOffset;
uint32_t initCheck;
const uint8_t* dictionary;
uint8_t* bufferStart; /* obsolete, used for slideInputBuffer */
uint32_t dictSize;
} LZ4_stream_t_internal;
typedef struct {
const uint8_t* externalDict;
size_t extDictSize;
const uint8_t* prefixEnd;
size_t prefixSize;
} LZ4_streamDecode_t_internal;
typedef struct {
unsigned int hashTable[LZ4_HASH_SIZE_U32];
unsigned int currentOffset;
unsigned int initCheck;
const unsigned char* dictionary;
unsigned char* bufferStart; /* obsolete, used for slideInputBuffer */
unsigned int dictSize;
} LZ4_stream_t_internal;
typedef struct {
const unsigned char* externalDict;
size_t extDictSize;
const unsigned char* prefixEnd;
size_t prefixSize;
} LZ4_streamDecode_t_internal;
#define LZ4_STREAMSIZE_U64 ((1 << (LZ4_MEMORY_USAGE-3)) + 4)
#define LZ4_STREAMSIZE (LZ4_STREAMSIZE_U64 * sizeof(unsigned long long))
union LZ4_stream_u {
unsigned long long table[LZ4_STREAMSIZE_U64];
LZ4_stream_t_internal internal_donotuse;
} ; /* previously typedef'd to LZ4_stream_t */
information structure to track an LZ4 stream.
init this structure before first use.
note : only use in association with static linking !
this definition is not API/ABI safe,
it may change in a future version !
#define LZ4_STREAMDECODESIZE_U64 4
#define LZ4_STREAMDECODESIZE (LZ4_STREAMDECODESIZE_U64 * sizeof(unsigned long long))
union LZ4_streamDecode_u {
unsigned long long table[LZ4_STREAMDECODESIZE_U64];
LZ4_streamDecode_t_internal internal_donotuse;
} ; /* previously typedef'd to LZ4_streamDecode_t */
information structure to track an LZ4 stream during decompression.
init this structure using LZ4_setStreamDecode (or memset()) before first use
note : only use in association with static linking !
this definition is not API/ABI safe,
and may change in a future version !
#ifdef LZ4_DISABLE_DEPRECATE_WARNINGS
# define LZ4_DEPRECATED(message) /* disable deprecation warnings */
#else
# define LZ4_GCC_VERSION (__GNUC__ * 100 + __GNUC_MINOR__)
# if defined (__cplusplus) && (__cplusplus >= 201402) /* C++14 or greater */
# define LZ4_DEPRECATED(message) [[deprecated(message)]]
# elif (LZ4_GCC_VERSION >= 405) || defined(__clang__)
# define LZ4_DEPRECATED(message) __attribute__((deprecated(message)))
# elif (LZ4_GCC_VERSION >= 301)
# define LZ4_DEPRECATED(message) __attribute__((deprecated))
# elif defined(_MSC_VER)
# define LZ4_DEPRECATED(message) __declspec(deprecated(message))
# else
# pragma message("WARNING: You need to implement LZ4_DEPRECATED for this compiler")
# define LZ4_DEPRECATED(message)
# endif
#endif /* LZ4_DISABLE_DEPRECATE_WARNINGS */
Should deprecation warnings be a problem,
it is generally possible to disable them,
typically with -Wno-deprecated-declarations for gcc
or _CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS in Visual.
Otherwise, it's also possible to define LZ4_DISABLE_DEPRECATE_WARNINGS