system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: How does a zip file work?

Is it possible to see a demonstration performed to a text file instead of a folder?
gpt
Imagine you're explaining your block collection to adults. When describing the color of your blocks, would you say: "red, red, red, blue, blue, green"? Or would it be quicker to say "3 red, 2 blue, 1 green"?. 

It's the same concept. Instead of containing the data itself, a compressed file like a zip contains a description of the data. Instead of saying "1111", it could just say " 4 1's".