What is 'data compression'?

Data compression refers to the process of reducing the size of a file or data set. This is achieved through various techniques that eliminate redundancies or represent data in more efficient ways, ensuring that the same information can take up less storage space. For instance, when an image is compressed, the file size decreases, making it easier to store and faster to transmit over the internet without significant loss of quality.

In the context of the other options, increasing the size of images does not align with the purpose of compression, which aims to make files smaller. Storing data in multiple locations pertains to data redundancy or backup strategies, rather than compression. Creating more files than necessary suggests mismanagement of data, which is contrary to the goal of efficiently managing file sizes and storage space through compression. Thus, the focus on reducing file size directly correlates to the fundamental definition of data compression.