PKWARE

PKWARE, Inc. is a United States–based software company that develops data compression, encryption, and data management solutions. It is best known for PKZIP, a widely used utility and library for creating and manipulating ZIP archives.

The ZIP archive format was developed in the 1980s by Phil Katz as part of the PKZIP project. PKWARE commercialized PKZIP and continued to evolve the ZIP format, licensing its technology to developers and vendors.

Product lines include PKZIP for Windows, Linux, and other platforms, as well as SecureZIP, which adds encryption, digital signatures, and secure data exchange. The company also provides ZIP libraries, software development kits, and enterprise tools for integrating compression and security into applications and workflows.

PKWARE maintains the ZIP File Format Specification and provides support and licensing related to ZIP technology. Through its products, the company supports data compression, protection, and archiving in a range of industries, from information technology and finance to healthcare.

PKWARE is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.