Merge pull request #2120 from facebook/clevel_doc

updated zstd CLI documentation
This commit is contained in:
Yann Collet
2020-05-11 09:42:33 -07:00
committed by GitHub
+41 -19
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@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ There are however other Makefile targets that create different variations of CLI
- `zstd-decompress` : version of CLI which can only decompress zstd format - `zstd-decompress` : version of CLI which can only decompress zstd format
#### Compilation variables ### Compilation variables
`zstd` scope can be altered by modifying the following `make` variables : `zstd` scope can be altered by modifying the following `make` variables :
- __HAVE_THREAD__ : multithreading is automatically enabled when `pthread` is detected. - __HAVE_THREAD__ : multithreading is automatically enabled when `pthread` is detected.
@@ -61,6 +61,24 @@ There are however other Makefile targets that create different variations of CLI
In which case, linking stage will fail if `lz4` library cannot be found. In which case, linking stage will fail if `lz4` library cannot be found.
This is useful to prevent silent feature disabling. This is useful to prevent silent feature disabling.
- __ZSTD_NOBENCH__ : `zstd` cli will be compiled without its integrated benchmark module.
This can be useful to produce smaller binaries.
In this case, the corresponding unit can also be excluded from compilation target.
- __ZSTD_NODICT__ : `zstd` cli will be compiled without support for the integrated dictionary builder.
This can be useful to produce smaller binaries.
In this case, the corresponding unit can also be excluded from compilation target.
- __ZSTD_NOCOMPRESS__ : `zstd` cli will be compiled without support for compression.
The resulting binary will only be able to decompress files.
This can be useful to produce smaller binaries.
A corresponding `Makefile` target using this ability is `zstd-decompress`.
- __ZSTD_NODECOMPRESS__ : `zstd` cli will be compiled without support for decompression.
The resulting binary will only be able to compress files.
This can be useful to produce smaller binaries.
A corresponding `Makefile` target using this ability is `zstd-compress`.
- __BACKTRACE__ : `zstd` can display a stack backtrace when execution - __BACKTRACE__ : `zstd` can display a stack backtrace when execution
generates a runtime exception. By default, this feature may be generates a runtime exception. By default, this feature may be
degraded/disabled on some platforms unless additional compiler directives are degraded/disabled on some platforms unless additional compiler directives are
@@ -69,11 +87,11 @@ There are however other Makefile targets that create different variations of CLI
Example : `make zstd BACKTRACE=1` Example : `make zstd BACKTRACE=1`
#### Aggregation of parameters ### Aggregation of parameters
CLI supports aggregation of parameters i.e. `-b1`, `-e18`, and `-i1` can be joined into `-b1e18i1`. CLI supports aggregation of parameters i.e. `-b1`, `-e18`, and `-i1` can be joined into `-b1e18i1`.
#### Symlink shortcuts ### Symlink shortcuts
It's possible to invoke `zstd` through a symlink. It's possible to invoke `zstd` through a symlink.
When the name of the symlink has a specific value, it triggers an associated behavior. When the name of the symlink has a specific value, it triggers an associated behavior.
- `zstdmt` : compress using all cores available on local system. - `zstdmt` : compress using all cores available on local system.
@@ -86,7 +104,7 @@ When the name of the symlink has a specific value, it triggers an associated beh
- `ungz`, `unxz` and `unlzma` will do the same, and will also remove source file by default (use `--keep` to preserve). - `ungz`, `unxz` and `unlzma` will do the same, and will also remove source file by default (use `--keep` to preserve).
#### Dictionary builder in Command Line Interface ### Dictionary builder in Command Line Interface
Zstd offers a training mode, which can be used to tune the algorithm for a selected Zstd offers a training mode, which can be used to tune the algorithm for a selected
type of data, by providing it with a few samples. The result of the training is stored type of data, by providing it with a few samples. The result of the training is stored
in a file selected with the `-o` option (default name is `dictionary`), in a file selected with the `-o` option (default name is `dictionary`),
@@ -106,7 +124,7 @@ Usage of the dictionary builder and created dictionaries with CLI:
3. Decompress with the dictionary: `zstd --decompress FILE.zst -D dictionaryName` 3. Decompress with the dictionary: `zstd --decompress FILE.zst -D dictionaryName`
#### Benchmark in Command Line Interface ### Benchmark in Command Line Interface
CLI includes in-memory compression benchmark module for zstd. CLI includes in-memory compression benchmark module for zstd.
The benchmark is conducted using given filenames. The files are read into memory and joined together. The benchmark is conducted using given filenames. The files are read into memory and joined together.
It makes benchmark more precise as it eliminates I/O overhead. It makes benchmark more precise as it eliminates I/O overhead.
@@ -118,7 +136,7 @@ One can select compression levels starting from `-b` and ending with `-e`.
The `-i` parameter selects minimal time used for each of tested levels. The `-i` parameter selects minimal time used for each of tested levels.
#### Usage of Command Line Interface ### Usage of Command Line Interface
The full list of options can be obtained with `-h` or `-H` parameter: The full list of options can be obtained with `-h` or `-H` parameter:
``` ```
Usage : Usage :
@@ -183,16 +201,19 @@ Benchmark arguments :
--priority=rt : set process priority to real-time --priority=rt : set process priority to real-time
``` ```
#### Restricted usage of Environment Variables ### Passing parameters through Environment Variables
Using environment variables to set parameters has security implications. `ZSTD_CLEVEL` can be used to modify the default compression level of `zstd`
Therefore, this avenue is intentionally restricted. (usually set to `3`) to another value between 1 and 19 (the "normal" range).
Only `ZSTD_CLEVEL` is supported currently, for setting compression level. This can be useful when `zstd` CLI is invoked in a way that doesn't allow passing arguments.
`ZSTD_CLEVEL` can be used to set the level between 1 and 19 (the "normal" range). One such scenario is `tar --zstd`.
If the value of `ZSTD_CLEVEL` is not a valid integer, it will be ignored with a warning message. As `ZSTD_CLEVEL` only replaces the default compression level,
`ZSTD_CLEVEL` just replaces the default compression level (`3`). it can then be overridden by corresponding command line arguments.
It can be overridden by corresponding command line arguments.
#### Long distance matching mode There is no "generic" way to pass "any kind of parameter" to `zstd` in a pass-through manner.
Using environment variables for this purpose has security implications.
Therefore, this avenue is intentionally restricted and only supports `ZSTD_CLEVEL`.
### Long distance matching mode
The long distance matching mode, enabled with `--long`, is designed to improve The long distance matching mode, enabled with `--long`, is designed to improve
the compression ratio for files with long matches at a large distance (up to the the compression ratio for files with long matches at a large distance (up to the
maximum window size, `128 MiB`) while still maintaining compression speed. maximum window size, `128 MiB`) while still maintaining compression speed.
@@ -216,12 +237,12 @@ Compression Speed vs Ratio | Decompression Speed
| Method | Compression ratio | Compression speed | Decompression speed | | Method | Compression ratio | Compression speed | Decompression speed |
|:-------|------------------:|-------------------------:|---------------------------:| |:-------|------------------:|-------------------------:|---------------------------:|
| `zstd -1` | `5.065` | `284.8 MB/s` | `759.3 MB/s` | | `zstd -1` | `5.065` | `284.8 MB/s` | `759.3 MB/s` |
| `zstd -5` | `5.826` | `124.9 MB/s` | `674.0 MB/s` | | `zstd -5` | `5.826` | `124.9 MB/s` | `674.0 MB/s` |
| `zstd -10` | `6.504` | `29.5 MB/s` | `771.3 MB/s` | | `zstd -10` | `6.504` | `29.5 MB/s` | `771.3 MB/s` |
| `zstd -1 --long` | `17.426` | `220.6 MB/s` | `1638.4 MB/s` | | `zstd -1 --long` | `17.426` | `220.6 MB/s` | `1638.4 MB/s` |
| `zstd -5 --long` | `19.661` | `165.5 MB/s` | `1530.6 MB/s`| | `zstd -5 --long` | `19.661` | `165.5 MB/s` | `1530.6 MB/s` |
| `zstd -10 --long`| `21.949` | `75.6 MB/s` | `1632.6 MB/s`| | `zstd -10 --long`| `21.949` | `75.6 MB/s` | `1632.6 MB/s` |
On this file, the compression ratio improves significantly with minimal impact On this file, the compression ratio improves significantly with minimal impact
on compression speed, and the decompression speed doubles. on compression speed, and the decompression speed doubles.
@@ -243,7 +264,8 @@ The below table illustrates this on the [Silesia compression corpus].
| `zstd -10` | `3.523` | `16.4 MB/s` | `489.2 MB/s` | | `zstd -10` | `3.523` | `16.4 MB/s` | `489.2 MB/s` |
| `zstd -10 --long`| `3.566` | `16.2 MB/s` | `415.7 MB/s` | | `zstd -10 --long`| `3.566` | `16.2 MB/s` | `415.7 MB/s` |
#### zstdgrep
### zstdgrep
`zstdgrep` is a utility which makes it possible to `grep` directly a `.zst` compressed file. `zstdgrep` is a utility which makes it possible to `grep` directly a `.zst` compressed file.
It's used the same way as normal `grep`, for example : It's used the same way as normal `grep`, for example :