ZOO compressed archive
application/x-zoo
Magic Bytes
Offset: 20
FD C4 A7 DC
The ZOO compressed archive is a legacy file format developed by Rahul Dhesi in the late 1980s for data compression and archiving. Originally popular on Unix and early MS-DOS systems, it was primarily utilized for distributing software and managing long-term storage of multiple files within a single container. While largely superseded by modern formats like ZIP and RAR, the format included technical features such as file versioning and embedded comment fields.
Validation Code
How to validate .zoo files in Python
def is_zoo(file_path: str) -> bool:
"""
Check if file is a valid ZOO by magic bytes.
Signature offset: 20 bytes
"""
signature = bytes([0xFD, 0xC4, 0xA7, 0xDC])
with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
f.seek(20)
return f.read(4) == signatureHow to validate .zoo files in Node.js
function isZOO(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
// Signature offset: 20 bytes
const signature = Buffer.from([0xFD, 0xC4, 0xA7, 0xDC]);
if (buffer.length < 24) return false;
return buffer.subarray(20, 24).equals(signature);
}How to validate .zoo files in Go
func IsZOO(data []byte) bool {
// Signature offset: 20 bytes
signature := []byte{0xFD, 0xC4, 0xA7, 0xDC}
if len(data) < 24 {
return false
}
return bytes.Equal(data[20:24], signature)
}API Endpoint
/api/v1/zoo
curl https://filesignature.org/api/v1/zoo
Related Formats
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a .zoo file?
A .zoo file is a ZOO compressed archive file. The ZOO compressed archive is a legacy file format developed by Rahul Dhesi in the late 1980s for data compression and archiving. Originally popular on Unix and early MS-DOS systems, it was primarily utilized for distributing software and managing long-term storage of multiple files within a single container. While largely superseded by modern formats like ZIP and RAR, the format included technical features such as file versioning and embedded comment fields.
What are the magic bytes for .zoo files?
The magic bytes for ZOO compressed archive files are FD C4 A7 DC at byte offset 20. These bytes uniquely identify the file format regardless of the file extension.
How do I validate a .zoo file?
To validate a .zoo file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (FD C4 A7 DC) at offset 20. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.
What is the MIME type for .zoo files?
The primary MIME type for .zoo files is application/x-zoo.
Is it safe to open .zoo files?
ZOO compressed archive (.zoo) files are generally safe to open. They are classified as low risk because they primarily contain data rather than executable code. However, always ensure files come from a trusted source.