Burrows Wheeler Transform

The Burrows-Wheeler Transform: A Key Technique in Data Compression

What is the Burrows-Wheeler Transform?

The Burrows-Wheeler Transform (BWT) is a data transformation algorithm that restructures data in such a way that it becomes more compressible. It was invented by Michael Burrows and David Wheeler in 1994.

The BWT works by sorting the data lexicographically and then circularly shifting the sorted data by one position. This process creates a new string that is more compressible than the original data.

How is the Burrows-Wheeler Transform Used?

The BWT is used in a variety of data compression applications, including:

• Bzip2
• Lempel-Ziv-Markov chain algorithm (LZMA)
• Pairwise alignment of biological sequences

Benefits of Using the Burrows-Wheeler Transform

The BWT offers a number of benefits for data compression, including:

• Improved compression ratios
• Faster compression and decompression times
• Reduced memory usage