Question 1

How to integrate FiniteStateEntropy into my C project?

Accepted Answer

Clone the GitHub repository, compile the source using GCC or a compatible compiler, and link the library. The README provides build status via Travis CI but lacks step-by-step integration tutorials, so you may need to refer to the source code and header files for API usage.

Question 2

FiniteStateEntropy Huff0 vs FSE: which one should I use?

Accepted Answer

Use Huff0 for maximum speed on data with less skewed distributions, as it excels in decompression (e.g., 1350 MB/s). Choose FSE for higher compression ratios on skewed data, like Proba80 where it achieves 8.84 vs Huff0's 6.38, but expect slower speeds (e.g., 440 MB/s decompression).

Question 3

What is the memory usage of FSE compression?

Accepted Answer

The README does not specify memory requirements, focusing instead on speed and ratio benchmarks. For accurate memory usage, you'd need to inspect the source code or run profiling tests, as performance optimizations might increase memory overhead compared to simpler libraries.

Question 4

Is FiniteStateEntropy compatible with zlib interfaces?

Accepted Answer

No, it is not directly compatible with zlib APIs. While it outperforms zlibh in benchmarks, you must adapt your code to use Huff0 or FSE's native functions, which may require significant changes if migrating from zlib-based systems.

Question 5

How does FiniteStateEntropy compare to LZ4 for speed?

Accepted Answer

FiniteStateEntropy focuses on entropy coding, not full compression like LZ4. Huff0 can decompress at 1350 MB/s, which is competitive, but LZ4 includes dictionary-based compression for broader use. For pure entropy coding, FSE/Huff0 are faster than zlib but may not match LZ4's end-to-end simplicity in some scenarios.

Question 6

Can FiniteStateEntropy handle streaming data?

Accepted Answer

The README does not mention streaming support; it benchmarks on fixed 32 KB blocks. For streaming applications, you might need to implement chunking or buffering manually, as the library appears optimized for block-based processing without built-in incremental capabilities.

FiniteStateEntropy

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