Brotli Compression

Native Browser Compression to Reduce File Size and Improve Performance

Version 0.12.0 of the Ordinals ord client introduced first class support for Brotli Compression. To leverage this feature, all you need to do is use the --compress flag when inscribing.

Brotli is a compression algorithm developed by Google, primarily used for web compression. It is particularly powerful for text (i.e. code), but can also be used for images and other forms of data.

Here are its key features:

1. Efficiency and Speed: Brotli provides better compression ratios compared to other popular algorithms like gzip and Deflate. It achieves this efficiency without compromising on speed, making it highly effective for web content compression.

2. Dictionary-Based Compression: One of the reasons for Brotli's efficiency is its use of a static dictionary. This dictionary contains common keywords, phrases, and other substrings frequently found in web pages and text-based data. This pre-set dictionary helps in achieving higher compression ratios.

3. Versatility: While it's mainly used for web data, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files, Brotli is versatile enough to be used for other types of data too.

4. Web Integration: Brotli is widely supported across various web browsers and web servers. This widespread support has helped it become a standard for web content compression.

5. Customizability: Brotli allows for various levels of compression, balancing between speed and efficiency. This makes it adaptable for different needs and network conditions.

6. Secure and Reliable: It is designed to be secure and reliable, with no known vulnerabilities as of April 2023.

7. Open Source: Brotli is open source, which means it's freely available for use and modification, encouraging widespread adoption and continual improvement.