Crinkler vs UPX

Crinkler is a compressing linker for producing very small 32-bit Windows executables, particularly demoscene intros in 1k, 4k, and 8k sizes. It combines linking and compression; the resulting executable decompresses into memory when run. By default, context modelling compresses code, optional text data, and general data as separate parts. Crinkler can replace the Visual Studio linker and supports its basic options, with configuration through project settings. Its data compressor is also available as a separate library for estimating compressed data size. Crinkler is free and distributed under the zlib license, which permits commercial use subject to its conditions. Version 3.0 requires Windows 10 or later and SSE4.2, including for the executables it produces, although those executables can target older Windows versions. Uncompressed input is limited to 64k per part. The manual warns that tiny-header mode can make decompression prohibitively slow for files significantly larger than 1 KB. The project directs users to GitHub Releases for downloads and links a manual for usage and version history.

UPX is a portable executable packer and file compressor for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It works with executable formats including Windows programs and DLLs, macOS apps, and Linux executables; listed formats also include PE, ELF, Mach-O, COFF, DOS, and Atari/TOS. The project says compression commonly reduces program and DLL sizes by around 50%–70%. For most supported formats, compressed programs are self-contained and run as before without runtime or memory penalties. UPX can list, test, and unpack executables, and maintains checksums for compressed and uncompressed files. It is free software under GPL v2 or later, with a special exception allowing unmodified UPX to compress commercial programs. UPX does not add protection or encryption, and the project advises handling only trusted files. Linux users should account for documented tradeoffs: compressed executables may require more RAM or swap when multiple processes run, and the generic Linux format recreates the original file in /tmp before launch.