A portable (OSX/Linux/Windows/Android/iOS), simple zip library written in C

This is done by hacking awesome miniz library and layering functions on top of the miniz v3.0.2 API.

The Idea

... Some day, I was looking for zip library written in C for my project, but I could not find anything simple enough and lightweight. Everything what I tried required 'crazy mental gymnastics' to integrate or had some limitations or was too heavy. I hate frameworks, factories and adding new dependencies. If I must to install all those dependencies and link new library, I'm getting almost sick. I wanted something powerful and small enough, so I could add just a few files and compile them into my project. And finally I found miniz. Miniz is a lossless, high performance data compression library in a single source file. I only needed simple interface to append buffers or files to the current zip-entry. Thanks to this feature I'm able to merge many files/buffers and compress them on-the-fly.

It was the reason, why I decided to write zip module on top of the miniz. It required a little bit hacking and wrapping some functions, but I kept simplicity. So, you can grab these 3 files and compile them into your project. I hope that interface is also extremely simple, so you will not have any problems to understand it.

Examples

• Create a new zip archive with default compression level.

struct zip_t *zip = zip_open("foo.zip", ZIP_DEFAULT_COMPRESSION_LEVEL, 'w');
{
    zip_entry_open(zip, "foo-1.txt");
    {
        const char *buf = "Some data here...\0";
        zip_entry_write(zip, buf, strlen(buf));
    }
    zip_entry_close(zip);

    zip_entry_open(zip, "foo-2.txt");
    {
        // merge 3 files into one entry and compress them on-the-fly.
        zip_entry_fwrite(zip, "foo-2.1.txt");
        zip_entry_fwrite(zip, "foo-2.2.txt");
        zip_entry_fwrite(zip, "foo-2.3.txt");
    }
    zip_entry_close(zip);
}
zip_close(zip);

• Append to the existing zip archive.

struct zip_t *zip = zip_open("foo.zip", ZIP_DEFAULT_COMPRESSION_LEVEL, 'a');
{
    zip_entry_open(zip, "foo-3.txt");
    {
        const char *buf = "Append some data here...\0";
        zip_entry_write(zip, buf, strlen(buf));
    }
    zip_entry_close(zip);
}
zip_close(zip);

• Extract a zip archive into a folder.

int on_extract_entry(const char *filename, void *arg) {
    static int i = 0;
    int n = *(int *)arg;
    printf("Extracted: %s (%d of %d)\n", filename, ++i, n);

    return 0;
}

// From "foo.zip" on disk
int arg = 2;
zip_extract("foo.zip", "/tmp", on_extract_entry, &arg);

// Or from memory
arg = 2;
zip_stream_extract(zipstream, zipstreamsize, "/tmp", on_extract_entry, &arg);

• Extract a zip entry into memory.

void *buf = NULL;
size_t bufsize;

struct zip_t *zip = zip_open("foo.zip", 0, 'r');
{
    zip_entry_open(zip, "foo-1.txt");
    {
        zip_entry_read(zip, &buf, &bufsize);
    }
    zip_entry_close(zip);
}
zip_close(zip);

free(buf);

• Extract a zip entry into memory (no internal allocation).

unsigned char *buf;
size_t bufsize;

struct zip_t *zip = zip_open("foo.zip", 0, 'r');
{
    zip_entry_open(zip, "foo-1.txt");
    {
        bufsize = zip_entry_size(zip);
        buf = calloc(sizeof(unsigned char), bufsize);

        zip_entry_noallocread(zip, (void *)buf, bufsize);
    }
    zip_entry_close(zip);
}
zip_close(zip);

free(buf);

• Extract a zip entry into memory using callback.

struct buffer_t {
    char *data;
    size_t size;
};

static size_t on_extract(void *arg, unsigned long long offset, const void *data, size_t size) {
    struct buffer_t *buf = (struct buffer_t *)arg;
    buf->data = realloc(buf->data, buf->size + size + 1);
    assert(NULL != buf->data);

    memcpy(&(buf->data[buf->size]), data, size);
    buf->size += size;
    buf->data[buf->size] = 0;

    return size;
}

struct buffer_t buf = {0};
struct zip_t *zip = zip_open("foo.zip", 0, 'r');
{
    zip_entry_open(zip, "foo-1.txt");
    {
        zip_entry_extract(zip, on_extract, &buf);
    }
    zip_entry_close(zip);
}
zip_close(zip);

free(buf.data);

• Extract a zip entry into a file.

struct zip_t *zip = zip_open("foo.zip", 0, 'r');
{
    zip_entry_open(zip, "foo-2.txt");
    {
        zip_entry_fread(zip, "foo-2.txt");
    }
    zip_entry_close(zip);
}
zip_close(zip);

• Create a new zip archive in memory (stream API).

char *outbuf = NULL;
size_t outbufsize = 0;

const char *inbuf = "Append some data here...\0";
struct zip_t *zip = zip_stream_open(NULL, 0, ZIP_DEFAULT_COMPRESSION_LEVEL, 'w');
{
    zip_entry_open(zip, "foo-1.txt");
    {
        zip_entry_write(zip, inbuf, strlen(inbuf));
    }
    zip_entry_close(zip);

    /* copy compressed stream into outbuf */
    zip_stream_copy(zip, (void **)&outbuf, &outbufsize);
}
zip_stream_close(zip);

free(outbuf);

• Extract a zip entry into a memory (stream API).

char *buf = NULL;
size_t bufsize = 0;

struct zip_t *zip = zip_stream_open(zipstream, zipstreamsize, 0, 'r');
{
    zip_entry_open(zip, "foo-1.txt");
    {
        zip_entry_read(zip, (void **)&buf, &bufsize);
    }
    zip_entry_close(zip);
}
zip_stream_close(zip);

free(buf);

• Extract a partial zip entry

unsigned char buf[16];
size_t bufsize = sizeof(buf);

struct zip_t *zip = zip_open("foo.zip", 0, 'r');
{
    zip_entry_open(zip, "foo-1.txt");
    {
        size_t offset = 4;
        ssize_t nread = zip_entry_noallocreadwithoffset(zip, offset, bufsize, (void *)buf);
    }

    zip_entry_close(zip);
}
zip_close(zip);

free(buf);

• List of all zip entries

struct zip_t *zip = zip_open("foo.zip", 0, 'r');
int i, n = zip_entries_total(zip);
for (i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
    zip_entry_openbyindex(zip, i);
    {
        const char *name = zip_entry_name(zip);
        int isdir = zip_entry_isdir(zip);
        unsigned long long size = zip_entry_size(zip);
        unsigned int crc32 = zip_entry_crc32(zip);
    }
    zip_entry_close(zip);
}
zip_close(zip);

• Compress folder (recursively)

void zip_walk(struct zip_t *zip, const char *path) {
    DIR *dir;
    struct dirent *entry;
    char fullpath[MAX_PATH];
    struct stat s;

    memset(fullpath, 0, MAX_PATH);
    dir = opendir(path);
    assert(dir);

    while ((entry = readdir(dir))) {
      // skip "." and ".."
      if (!strcmp(entry->d_name, ".\0") || !strcmp(entry->d_name, "..\0"))
        continue;

      snprintf(fullpath, sizeof(fullpath), "%s/%s", path, entry->d_name);
      stat(fullpath, &s);
      if (S_ISDIR(s.st_mode))
        zip_walk(zip, fullpath);
      else {
        zip_entry_open(zip, fullpath);
        zip_entry_fwrite(zip, fullpath);
        zip_entry_close(zip);
      }
    }

    closedir(dir);
}

• Delete zip archive entries.

char *entries[] = {"unused.txt", "remove.ini", "delete.me"};
// size_t indices[] = {0, 1, 2};

struct zip_t *zip = zip_open("foo.zip", 0, 'd');
{
    zip_entries_delete(zip, entries, 3);

    // you can also delete by index, instead of by name
    // zip_entries_deletebyindex(zip, indices, 3);
}
zip_close(zip);

Bindings

Compile zip library as a dynamic library.

$ mkdir build
$ cd build
$ cmake -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=true ..
$ cmake --build .

Go (cgo)

Third party binding: kuba--/c-go-zip

package main

/*
#cgo CFLAGS: -I../src
#cgo LDFLAGS: -L. -lzip
#include <zip.h>
*/
import "C"
import "unsafe"

func main() {
    path := C.CString("/tmp/go.zip")
    zip := C.zip_open(path, 6, 'w')

    entryname := C.CString("test")
    C.zip_entry_open(zip, entryname)

    content := "test content"
    buf := unsafe.Pointer(C.CString(content))
    bufsize := C.size_t(len(content))
    C.zip_entry_write(zip, buf, bufsize)

    C.zip_entry_close(zip)

    C.zip_close(zip)
}

Rust (ffi)

extern crate libc;
use std::ffi::CString;

#[repr(C)]
pub struct Zip {
    _private: [u8; 0],
}

#[link(name = "zip")]
extern "C" {
    fn zip_open(path: *const libc::c_char, level: libc::c_int, mode: libc::c_char) -> *mut Zip;
    fn zip_close(zip: *mut Zip) -> libc::c_void;

    fn zip_entry_open(zip: *mut Zip, entryname: *const libc::c_char) -> libc::c_int;
    fn zip_entry_close(zip: *mut Zip) -> libc::c_int;
    fn zip_entry_write(
        zip: *mut Zip,
        buf: *const libc::c_void,
        bufsize: libc::size_t,
    ) -> libc::c_int;
}

fn main() {
    let path = CString::new("/tmp/rust.zip").unwrap();
    let mode: libc::c_char = 'w' as libc::c_char;

    let entryname = CString::new("test.txt").unwrap();
    let content = "test content\0";

    unsafe {
        let zip: *mut Zip = zip_open(path.as_ptr(), 5, mode);
        {
            zip_entry_open(zip, entryname.as_ptr());
            {
                let buf = content.as_ptr() as *const libc::c_void;
                let bufsize = content.len() as libc::size_t;
                zip_entry_write(zip, buf, bufsize);
            }
            zip_entry_close(zip);
        }
        zip_close(zip);
    }
}

Ruby (ffi)

Install ffi gem.

$ gem install ffi

Bind in your module.

require 'ffi'

module Zip
  extend FFI::Library
  ffi_lib "./libzip.#{::FFI::Platform::LIBSUFFIX}"

  attach_function :zip_open, [:string, :int, :char], :pointer
  attach_function :zip_close, [:pointer], :void

  attach_function :zip_entry_open, [:pointer, :string], :int
  attach_function :zip_entry_close, [:pointer], :void
  attach_function :zip_entry_write, [:pointer, :string, :int], :int
end

ptr = Zip.zip_open("/tmp/ruby.zip", 6, "w".bytes()[0])

status = Zip.zip_entry_open(ptr, "test")

content = "test content"
status = Zip.zip_entry_write(ptr, content, content.size())

Zip.zip_entry_close(ptr)
Zip.zip_close(ptr)

Python (cffi)

Install cffi package

$ pip install cffi

Bind in your package.

import ctypes.util
from cffi import FFI

ffi = FFI()
ffi.cdef("""
    struct zip_t *zip_open(const char *zipname, int level, char mode);
    void zip_close(struct zip_t *zip);

    int zip_entry_open(struct zip_t *zip, const char *entryname);
    int zip_entry_close(struct zip_t *zip);
    int zip_entry_write(struct zip_t *zip, const void *buf, size_t bufsize);
""")

Zip = ffi.dlopen(ctypes.util.find_library("zip"))

ptr = Zip.zip_open("/tmp/python.zip", 6, 'w')

status = Zip.zip_entry_open(ptr, "test")

content = "test content"
status = Zip.zip_entry_write(ptr, content, len(content))

Zip.zip_entry_close(ptr)
Zip.zip_close(ptr)

Never (ffi)

extern "libzip.so" func zip_open(zipname: string, level: int, mode: char) -> c_ptr
extern "libzip.so" func zip_close(zip: c_ptr) -> void

extern "libzip.so" func zip_entry_open(zip: c_ptr, entryname: string) -> int
extern "libzip.so" func zip_entry_close(zip: c_ptr) -> int
extern "libzip.so" func zip_entry_write(zip: c_ptr, buf: string, bufsize: int) -> int
extern "libzip.so" func zip_entry_fwrite(zip: c_ptr, filename: string) -> int

func main() -> int
{
    let content = "Test content"

    let zip = zip_open("/tmp/never.zip", 6, 'w');

    zip_entry_open(zip, "test.file");
    zip_entry_fwrite(zip, "/tmp/test.txt");
    zip_entry_close(zip);

    zip_entry_open(zip, "test.content");
    zip_entry_write(zip, content, length(content));
    zip_entry_close(zip);

    zip_close(zip);
    0
}

Ring

The language comes with RingZip based on this library

load "ziplib.ring"

new Zip {
    setFileName("myfile.zip")
    open("w")
    newEntry() {
        open("test.c")
        writefile("test.c")
        close()
    }
    close()
}

Zig

$ zig build-exe main.zig -lc -lzip

const c = @cImport({
    @cInclude("zip.h");
});

pub fn main() void {
    var zip = c.zip_open("/tmp/zig.zip", 6, 'w');
    defer c.zip_close(zip);

    _ = c.zip_entry_open(zip, "test");
    defer _ = c.zip_entry_close(zip);

    const content = "test content";
    _ = c.zip_entry_write(zip, content, content.len);
}

Odin

Third party binding: thechampagne/zip-odin

package main

foreign import lib "system:zip"

import "core:c"

foreign lib {
    zip_open :: proc(zipname : cstring, level : c.int, mode : c.char) -> rawptr ---

    zip_close :: proc(zip : rawptr) ---

    zip_entry_open :: proc(zip : rawptr, entryname : cstring) -> c.int ---

    zip_entry_close :: proc(zip : rawptr) -> c.int ---

    zip_entry_write :: proc(zip : rawptr, buf : rawptr, bufsize : c.size_t) -> c.int ---
}

main :: proc() {
    zip_file := zip_open("odin.zip", 6, 'w')
    defer zip_close(zip_file)

    zip_entry_open(zip_file, "test")
    defer zip_entry_close(zip_file)

    content := "test content"
    zip_entry_write(zip_file, &content, len(content))
}

Nim

Third party binding: thechampagne/nimzip

$ nim c --passL:-lzip main.nim

proc zip_open(zipname: cstring, level: cint, mode: char): pointer {.importc.}
proc zip_close(zip: pointer) {.importc.}
proc zip_entry_open(zip: pointer, entryname: cstring): cint {.importc.}
proc zip_entry_close(zip: pointer): cint {.importc.}
proc zip_entry_write(zip: pointer, buf: pointer, bufsize: csize_t): cint {.importc.}

when isMainModule:
  var zip = zip_open("/tmp/nim.zip", 6, 'w')

  discard zip_entry_open(zip, "test")

  let content: cstring = "test content"
  discard zip_entry_write(zip, content, csize_t(len(content)))

  discard zip_entry_close(zip)
  zip_close(zip)

D

Third party binding: thechampagne/zip-d

$ dmd -L-lzip main.d

extern(C) void* zip_open(const(char)* zipname, int level, char mode);
extern(C) void zip_close(void* zip);
extern(C) int zip_entry_open(void* zip, const(char)* entryname);
extern(C) int zip_entry_close(void* zip);
extern(C) int zip_entry_write(void* zip, const(void)* buf, size_t bufsize);

void main()
{
  void* zip = zip_open("/tmp/d.zip", 6, 'w');
  scope(exit) zip_close(zip);

  zip_entry_open(zip, "test");
  scope(exit) zip_entry_close(zip);

  string content = "test content";
  zip_entry_write(zip, content.ptr, content.length);
}

Pascal

Third party binding: thechampagne/zip-pascal

program main;

{$linklib c}
{$linklib zip}

uses ctypes;

function zip_open(zipname:Pchar; level:longint; mode:char):pointer;cdecl;external;
procedure zip_close(zip:pointer);cdecl;external;
function zip_entry_open(zip:pointer; entryname:Pchar):longint;cdecl;external;
function zip_entry_close(zip:pointer):longint;cdecl;external;
function zip_entry_write(zip:pointer; buf:pointer; bufsize:csize_t):longint;cdecl;external;

const
   content: Pchar = 'test content';
var
   zip : pointer;

begin
   zip := zip_open('/tmp/pascal.zip', 6, 'w');

   zip_entry_open(zip, 'test');

   zip_entry_write(zip, content, strlen(content));
   zip_entry_close(zip);
   zip_close(zip);
end.

lua

Third party binding: gynt/luamemzip

-- Loads the luamemzip.dll
zip = require("luamemzip")

content = "Test content"

z = zip.zip_stream_open(nil, 6, 'w')

zip.zip_entry_open(z, "test.content")
zip.zip_entry_write(z, content)
zip.zip_entry_close(z)

data = zip.zip_stream_copy(z)

zip.zip_close(z)

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