How to Zip files using JavaScript?

Question

Is there a way to zip files using JavaScript?? For an example, like in Yahoo mail, when you chose to download all the attachments from an email, it gets zipped and downloade

Answer 1

I'd recommend going straight to using Node's built-in library Zlib for this, which includes images; encode in base 64 using "buffers". Rather than using npm packages. Reasons being:

• Zlib is a Node native library - has been kept up-to-date for nearly 10 years now - so the proofs there for long-term supports
• Node allows you work with Buffers - i.e. you can convert your text string/images to the raw binary data and compress it that way with Zlib
• Easily compress and decompress large files - leverage node streams to compress files in MBs or GBs

The fact you are using jszip, would allow me to guess that you are using npm as well as node; assumes you have set up your environment correctly, i.e. node installed globally.

Example: input.txt compressed to become input.txt.gz

const zlib = require('zlib');
const fs = require('fs');
const gzip = zlib.createGzip();
const input = fs.createReadStream('input.txt');
const output = fs.createWriteStream('input.txt.gz');

input.pipe(gzip).pipe(output);

Step 1: So you require each of the native modules from node - require is part of ES5. Zlib as previously mentioned, and fs module, the File System module.

const zlib = require('zlib');
const fs = require('fs');

Step 2: The fs module, this allows you to create a readstream, are specifically called to read chunks of data. This will return a readstream object; readable stream

const input = fs.createReadStream(FILE PATH HERE);

__Note: This readstream object then gets piped again; this chaining of pipes on readsteam objects can occur endlessly, making pipes very flexible.

ReadStream.pipe(DoesSomething).pipe(SomethingElse).pipe(ConvertToWriteStream)

Step 3: The readstream object, that has been piped and compressed is then converted to writestream object.

const output = fs.createWriteStream('input.txt.gz');

input.pipe(gzip).pipe(output); // returned filename input.txt.gz, within local directory

So this library allows you easily enter a file path and decide where you want your compressed file to be. You can also choose to do the reverse, if need be.