The purpose of data compression is to reduce the size of data files to save space and optimize storage and transmission. This technology is vital in mitigating bandwidth usage during data transfer, improving download and upload times for large files. By minimizing file sizes, data compression also enables faster access and retrieval, enhancing user experience. Common techniques include lossless compression, which retains original data quality, and lossy compression, which sacrifices some fidelity for greater size reduction. Overall, data compression is essential for efficient data management and resource allocation.