Run-length encoding

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File Format
Name Run-length encoding
Ontology
PRONOM x-cmp/13

Run-length encoding (RLE) is a simple kind of data compression, in which a run of consecutive equal data values is replaced by a code indicating the run length and the data value.

RLE can be effective for some types of data, or as part of a more sophisticated algorithm, but by itself it is a poor general-purpose compression algorithm.

RLE is used in countless raster graphics formats.

Related formats

Algorithms and compressed data formats based primarily on RLE:

Note that most RLE implementations are used in only one format, and are not documented in a separate article.

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