entropy coding

Entropy coding is a method used in data compression to reduce the size of digital information. It assigns shorter codes to more common symbols and longer codes to less common ones, based on their statistical likelihood. This way, the overall data takes up less space without losing any information. Think of it like abbreviating frequently used words to save time and space in a message. Entropy coding is essential for efficient storage and transmission, making data transfer faster and more economical by optimizing how information is represented.