ZIM (file format)



The ZIM file format is an open file format that stores wiki content for offline usage. The format is defined by the openZIM project, which also supports an open-source ZIM reader called Kiwix. The format is primarily used to store the contents of Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects, including articles, full-text search indices and auxiliary files.

ZIM stands for "Zeno IMproved", as it replaced the earlier Zeno file format. Its file compression uses LZMA2, as implemented by the XZ Utils library, and, more recently, Zstandard. The openZIM project is sponsored by Wikimedia CH and supported by the Wikimedia Foundation.