What is the best compression algorithm that allows random reads/writes in a file?

Question

What is the best compression algorithm that allows random reads/writes in a file?

I know that any adaptive compression algorithms would be out of the question.

Answer 1

I am stunned at the number of responses that imply that such a thing is impossible.

Have these people never heard of "compressed file systems", which have been around since before Microsoft was sued in 1993 by Stac Electronics over compressed file system technology?

I hear that LZS and LZJB are popular algorithms for people implementing compressed file systems, which necessarily require both random-access reads and random-access writes.

Perhaps the simplest and best thing to do is to turn on file system compression for that file, and let the OS deal with the details. But if you insist on handling it manually, perhaps you can pick up some tips by reading about NTFS transparent file compression.

Also check out: "StackOverflow: Compression formats with good support for random access within archives?"