ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Universal code (data compression)

A universal code is like a secret language that helps make things shorter and easier to share with others. Imagine you have a long message to send to your friend, but you don't want anyone else to understand it. So, you make up a secret code that only you and your friend know. This helps you both send messages back and forth without anyone else understanding what it means.

In the same way, universal code is like a secret code that makes long messages shorter and easier to share with other people. Whenever you have a lot of information, it can take up a lot of space to write down or store. But with universal code, you can make the information smaller by using special codes that represent the same information using fewer characters. This way, the information takes up less space and is easier to share with others.

Think of it like a magic trick. You have a long message, and you put it inside a box. But the box is too big, and you can't fit it in your pocket to take it with you. So, you use your magic code to make the message disappear, leaving only a small piece of paper with the code written on it. Now, you can take the small piece of paper with you wherever you go, and whenever you need the message, you just use the code to bring it back.

In the same way, when you use universal code, you make the message smaller by turning it into a code. Then, you can send the code to someone else, who can use the code to turn it back into the original message. This way, you can share the message with others without taking up too much space or using too much time.

Overall, universal code is like a secret language that helps make information smaller and easier to share with others. Just like a magic trick, it turns a big thing into a small thing, making it easier for you to take it with you wherever you go.