7Z Format
A next-generation open-source format with very high compression
History
7Z is an open-source compression format developed in 1999 by Igor Pavlov of Russia, released alongside the 7-Zip program. Its patent-free, open license led to rapid adoption across academia and the open-source community, and almost every modern archiver now supports 7Z.
Key Features
- LZMA / LZMA2 algorithms — Among the highest compression ratios in the industry
- Solid compression — Bundles many files into one stream, dramatically improving ratios for similar content
- Multi-threaded compression — LZMA2 uses all CPU cores
- AES-256 encryption — Includes optional filename encryption (header encryption)
- 16 EB single archives — Effectively unlimited archive size
- Split archives — Use .7z.001, .7z.002, … to split into volumes
Strengths
Very high compression ratio — 7Z can be 30–50% smaller than ZIP for the same data, ideal for large backups and distribution. Patent-free, fully open, and free to use.
KingZip Support
KingZip supports 7Z compression/extraction, multi-threaded LZMA2, solid compression, AES-256 encryption (with optional header encryption), and split archives.