deltakoodaukseen

Deltakoodaus, or delta encoding, is a method of data compression where only the differences between consecutive data chunks are stored. Instead of storing entire files, delta encoding stores a base file and then a series of deltas, which represent the changes made to the base file over time. This approach is particularly efficient when dealing with data that changes incrementally, such as software updates or version-controlled documents.

The process involves comparing a new version of data with a previous version. A delta is generated that describes how to transform the old version into the new one. This delta can consist of instructions to delete certain parts of the old data, insert new data, or modify existing data. When the new data needs to be reconstructed, the delta is applied to the base file.

Delta encoding is widely used in various applications. Software distribution often employs delta updates, where users download only the changes from a previous version, saving bandwidth and download time. Version control systems like Git use delta compression internally to store the history of changes efficiently. It is also used in data backup and synchronization tools. The effectiveness of delta encoding depends on the similarity between consecutive data versions; the more similar they are, the smaller the deltas and the greater the compression achieved.