Comparison of RAR and ZIP file formats: Which one is more suitable for you?

Many computer users use RAR and ZIP to compress files, but what is the difference between them? This article will explore the differences between RAR and ZIP formats in depth.

Detailed explanation of ZIP file

ZIP is a standard compressed file format that can compress folders or files into smaller files. Since many software supports the ZIP format, it is very popular. The biggest advantage of the ZIP format is that it can be easily opened by almost any program that creates a ZIP file.

Detailed explanation of RAR file

RAR (Roshal Archive) is also a widely used compressed file format. It is similar to a normal folder in a computer, and can move, delete or save other documents. However, you need to use third-party software to open and extract content from compressed files.

Backup ZIP and RAR files using MiniTool ShadowMaker

To protect your ZIP and RAR files, it's best to back up them to a more secure location, such as an external hard drive or USB flash drive. This way, in case of data loss, you can recover important ZIP or RAR files. MiniTool ShadowMaker is a powerful PC backup software that supports the creation of complete, differential, incremental and even planned backups, suitable for Windows 11/10/8/7 systems. Download the free trial now!

Step 1: Download MiniTool ShadowMaker.

Step 2: On the Backup page, go to Source > Folders and Files and select the ZIP and RAR files you want to protect. For the storage path to the backup image file, go to Destination.

Step 3: Click "Back up now" to start the task.

Comparison between RAR and ZIP

Both RAR and ZIP are convenient compression technologies that can archive multiple types of files into a single file. So, which one is more suitable for you? If you don't have an idea right now, you can understand the difference between RAR and ZIP from the following aspects:

Compatibility: While you can read RAR files through any archive software, you still need WINRAR to create them. Unlike RAR, ZIP allows you to create or decompress ZIP files without the help of other software.

Compression speed: During compression, RAR points to the last position of the character, rather than storing the character itself. In order to point to content beyond its capacity, another index record must be created. RAR's pointer window is larger than ZIP, so it compresses and decompresses faster.

Compression method: When compressing a file, it will create a data index and store the location of the data, not the data itself. RAR uses a lossless compression method that combines PPMD and LZSS prediction to create RAR files, and the most commonly used compression method for ZIP is DEFLATE. Compared with other compression methods, RAR has better compression rates.

Maximum file size: The original ZIP format only supports about 4GB of data, while the RAR format supports up to 9EB of data compression. Since ZIP is open source, most people may prefer it.

Encryption algorithm: Both ZIP and RAR support encrypting your data. RAR adopts Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption algorithms, while some newer ZIP versions also use AEC or AEC-based encryption. In addition, the ZIP format can select different encryption algorithms based on the software you use to encrypt files.

Summarize

This paper compares the differences between ZIP and RAR in terms of compatibility, compression speed, compression method, maximum file size, and encryption algorithm. For general purposes, ZIP is better than RAR, because you don't need extra software to decompress ZIP files. RAR may be more popular if you have higher requirements for maximum file size, compression method, and compression speed.

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