OCR GCSE Computer Science Paper 2 Practice 2026 - Free Practice Questions and Study Guide

The process of temporarily removing a file to decrease its size is known as compression. Compression can be used to reduce the amount of space a file takes up on a storage device, making it easier to manage and transfer files. There are different methods of compression, including lossy and lossless compression.

Lossy compression reduces file size by permanently eliminating some data, which can lead to a loss in quality. This is common with media files like images and audio where some detail can be sacrificed for size.

Lossless compression reduces file size without losing any information, meaning that when the file is decompressed, it is restored to its original state. This method is essential for text files or any data where losing even a small portion of information could be detrimental.

Archiving refers to the process of moving files that are not actively needed to a separate storage location, which might include compression but is typically more about organization rather than just size reduction. In this context, the primary focus on size reduction points to the broader category of compression rather than specific types like lossless or lossy.