Huffman Encoding Algorithm Using a Greedy Approach in Java

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Introduction

In the realm of data compression, the Huffman Encoding algorithm stands as a cornerstone technique, widely used for lossless compression. Developed by David A. Huffman in 1952, this algorithm efficiently reduces the size of data by assigning variable-length codes to input characters based on their frequencies. Characters that appear more frequently are assigned shorter codes, while those that appear less often receive longer codes, optimizing the overall size of the encoded data.

One of the fascinating aspects of Huffman Encoding is its use of a greedy approach, a problem-solving strategy that makes locally optimal choices at each step with the hope of finding a global optimum. In this article, we will explore how the greedy approach is applied in Huffman Encoding, provide a detailed implementation in Java, and analyze the algorithm’s efficiency and applications. This comprehensive guide will span theoretical foundations, step-by-step explanations, and practical coding examples to ensure a thorough understanding of the topic.

Understanding Huffman Encoding

Huffman Encoding is a prefix-free coding scheme, meaning no code is a prefix of another, which allows unambiguous decoding of the compressed data. The core idea is to build a…