Question 1

How do I compress a JSON object with node-snappy?

Accepted Answer

First, stringify the JSON object, then use snappy.compress() with the string as input. The library handles strings and buffers, so you can compress it directly or convert to a buffer for better performance in Node.js.

Question 2

Is snappy faster than zlib for compression in Node.js?

Accepted Answer

Yes, based on the benchmark in the README, snappy.compress() is about 65% faster than zlib.gzip() in operations per second, making it better for applications where speed is prioritized over compression ratio.

Question 3

Does node-snappy support streaming compression out of the box?

Accepted Answer

No, the core library doesn't support streaming. For streaming compression or decompression, you need to use the separate snappy-stream package as mentioned in the README, which adds complexity.

Question 4

Can I use node-snappy in a browser or React Native app?

Accepted Answer

No, this library is specific to Node.js and relies on C++ bindings, so it won't work in browser environments or React Native without significant modifications or alternative implementations.

Question 5

What's the compression ratio of snappy compared to gzip?

Accepted Answer

Snappy typically has a lower compression ratio than gzip, meaning it compresses data faster but uses more space. It's best for scenarios where speed is more important than maximum space savings.

Question 6

How to handle errors in async compression with node-snappy?

Accepted Answer

The callback function takes an error as the first argument; check if it's not null and handle it appropriately, such as logging or implementing retry logic, as shown in the example code in the README.

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