What is a .ZST file?
A .ZST file is a type of file that has been made smaller using a special method called Zstandard, or zstd for short. This method is very good at making files smaller without losing any of the original information, which is why it's called "lossless compression." People use .ZST files to make different kinds of files smaller, like those in databases, computer systems that manage files, networks, and even video games. This is helpful because smaller files take up less space on your computer or phone, and they can be sent over the internet faster.
When a file is made smaller with zstd, its name changes a little to show that. For example, if you have a file named "picture.jpg" and you make it smaller with zstd, its name will change to "picture.jpg.zst." This new .ZST file is the smaller version of the original file.
To go back to the original file, you need to make the .ZST file bigger again, which is called decompressing. After decompressing, the file goes back to its original size and the ".zst" part of the name is taken away.
To open or work with .ZST files, you use a program that understands the Zstandard compression method. The main program for this is called Zstandard, which is the same name as the compression method itself. This program can make files smaller into .ZST files or make them bigger back to their original form.
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