View all newsletters
Receive our newsletter - data, insights and analysis delivered to you
  1. What Is
July 12, 2016updated 22 Sep 2016 12:47pm

What is ZIP?

Zips are quite useful, and not just when it comes to clothing.

By Joao Lima

ZIP is a type of file first released in 1989 and that supports lossless data compression. ZIP files are usually presented as .zip or .zipx.

ZIP was developed by American computer programmer Philip Walter Katz as part of his software company, Pkware, own software development.

The Uniform Type Identifier (UTI) of ZIP files is com.pkware.zip-archive, while the standards used in the product are APPNOTE, also invented by Pkware and the ISO/IEC 21320-1:2015 (a subset of ZIP file format 6.3.3).

Over the years, ZIP files have proven to be so useful that they have been extended to other file formats, such as JAR (EAR, RAR (Java), WAR), Office Open XML (Microsoft), Open Packaging Conventions, OpenDocument (ODF), and XPI (Mozilla extensions).

The latest version of ZIP, version 6.3.4, was launched in 2014. However, this version only updated Pkware’s address office.

The previous version, released in 2012, was the last one to include significant changes to ZIP including document formatting changes.

Content from our partners
How businesses can safeguard themselves on the cyber frontline
How hackers’ tactics are evolving in an increasingly complex landscape
Green for go: Transforming trade in the UK

Websites in our network
Select and enter your corporate email address Tech Monitor's research, insight and analysis examines the frontiers of digital transformation to help tech leaders navigate the future. Our Changelog newsletter delivers our best work to your inbox every week.
  • CIO
  • CTO
  • CISO
  • CSO
  • CFO
  • CDO
  • CEO
  • Architect Founder
  • MD
  • Director
  • Manager
  • Other
Visit our privacy policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.
THANK YOU