---
title: "Processing files in Apex has always been… painful."
slug: processing-files-in-apex-has-always-been-painful
source: linkedin
kind: post
publishedAt: 2026-02-27
externalUrl: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7433143672109580288
---

Processing files in Apex has always been… painful. This new namespace helps with that. The new(ish) Compression namespace has gone under the radar, and I wanted to share it. Internally at Elevate, we have already gotten a lot of use out of…

Processing files in Apex has always been… painful. This new namespace helps with that.

The new(ish) Compression namespace has gone under the radar, and I wanted to share it.

Internally at Elevate, we have already gotten a lot of use out of it for our clients. I've had my eye on it for some time while it was in beta, so I was excited when it finally became GA.

Apex is a powerful language compared to many other business application scripting languages, but it still has its limitations. You always have the option to take processing and business logic off-platform, but I like to experiment with the platform first and see what is possible natively.

One of the more challenging limitations in Apex has been its ability to process files. Anything text-based is fine, but being able to interact with zips makes moving files between platforms and working with files on-platform significantly easier. Many of the file extensions you know and love are actually just zip files too. Think docx, xlsx, and pptx.

There are a lot of possibilities being opened up with the new Compression namespace.
Some I have been thinking about:

1. Sending compressed email attachments
2. Document bundling for downloads
3. Document generation
4. Callout optimization

Let me know what other ideas you have for this.