How to Choose Compression
Select between gzip and zstd compression when pushing images.
Prerequisites
- blobber installed
- Registry access configured
Available Algorithms
| Algorithm | Flag Value | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| gzip | gzip (default) | Maximum compatibility |
| zstd | zstd | Faster decompression, better ratios |
Using gzip (Default)
Push with default compression:
blobber push ./data ghcr.io/myorg/data:v1
Or explicitly:
blobber push ./data ghcr.io/myorg/data:v1 --compression gzip
Using zstd
Push with zstd compression:
blobber push ./data ghcr.io/myorg/data:v1 --compression zstd
When to Use Each
Use gzip when:
- You need maximum registry compatibility
- Other tools will read the image
- You're unsure which to choose
Use zstd when:
- You control the entire workflow
- Decompression speed matters
- You're storing large files
Verification
The compression algorithm is stored in the image. To verify:
blobber list ghcr.io/myorg/data:v1
Both algorithms produce valid eStargz images that work with list, cat, and pull.
Notes
- You cannot change compression of an existing image
- Push a new tag if you need different compression
- Compression choice doesn't affect file listing or selective retrieval
See Also
- CLI Reference: push
- About eStargz - How compression works internally