lzo

lzo [options] [filename ...]

-v
    Be verbose (show more information).

-V
    Show program version and exit.

-h
    Show help text and exit.

-d
    Decompress (same as --decompress).

--decompress
    Decompress.

-c
    Write to standard output (stdout).

--stdout
    Write to standard output (stdout).

-f
    Force overwrite of output file.

--force
    Force overwrite of output file.

-k
    Keep (don't delete) input file.

--keep
    Keep (don't delete) input file.

-L level
    Compression level (1..9, default is 3).

--level level
    Compression level (1..9, default is 3).

-o file
    Write output to file.

--output file
    Write output to file.

-p
    Precompress (only analyze data, don't compress).

--precompress
    Precompress (only analyze data, don't compress).

-q
    Be quiet (suppress all messages).

--quiet
    Be quiet (suppress all messages).

-S .suf
    Use suffix .suf (instead of .lzo).

--suffix .suf
    Use suffix .suf (instead of .lzo).

-U
    Try to use original name, if possible

--use-name
    Try to use original name, if possible

The `lzo` command is a command-line utility for compressing and decompressing files using the Lempel-Ziv-Oberhumer (LZO) data compression algorithm. LZO is known for its emphasis on speed and decompression efficiency, often prioritizing speed over maximum compression ratio. This makes `lzo` suitable for applications where fast decompression is crucial, such as embedded systems, real-time data processing, and data streaming.

The tool offers basic compression and decompression functionalities, making it a simple and effective solution for reducing file sizes when speed is a primary concern. It supports various options to control compression levels and provides basic information about the compressed files.

The `lzo` command typically creates files with the `.lzo` extension by default. The compression ratio achieved by `lzo` might not be as high as other compression algorithms like gzip or bzip2, as it prioritizes speed. Error handling might be basic, and it's crucial to handle file permissions and space correctly when dealing with compression and decompression.

The `lzo` command exits with a status of 0 if the compression or decompression was successful, and a non-zero status if an error occurred. The exit code can be used in scripts to check for success or failure.

Compress a file: lzo myfile.txt
Decompress a file: lzo -d myfile.txt.lzo
Compress to stdout: lzo -c myfile.txt > myfile.txt.lzo
Specify Compression Level: lzo -L 9 myfile.txt (highest compression, slowest)

LZO (Lempel-Ziv-Oberhumer) is a family of lossless data compression algorithms known for high decompression speed. The `lzo` command utilizes these algorithms. The focus has always been on providing fast compression and, more importantly, very fast decompression suitable for various applications, including real-time systems.

Over the years, LZO has been implemented in numerous projects, ranging from embedded systems to high-performance computing, due to its speed advantages. The `lzo` utility provides a command-line interface to access this compression technology.

gzip(1), bzip2(1), xz(1), compress(1)