DICOMP: Deep Reinforcement Learning for Integer Compression

Mohamad Khalil Farhat, Ji Zhang, Xiaohui Tao, Tianning Li,
DICOMP: Deep Reinforcement Learning for Integer Compression,
Machine Learning with Applications,
Volume 22,
2025,
100756,
ISSN 2666-8270,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mlwa.2025.100756.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666827025001392)
Abstract: This paper presents DICOMP (Deep Reinforcement Learning for Integer Compression), a novel approach that employs Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) to optimize integer compression. DICOMP is the first known approach to apply reinforcement learning specifically to integer compression, filling a significant gap in current research. Unlike traditional methods based on statistical or dictionary techniques, DICOMP formulates compression as a sequential decision-making problem. The core innovation involves a DRL agent that explores various mathematical operations to minimize an integer’s memory size. The discovered optimal strategy was dividing by a set of four prime factors, which effectively transforms its representation into a compact base-4 encoding. This process enables lossless size reduction without relying on hand-crafted strategies. Experiments on diverse datasets show that this invented strategy achieves a reduction in size of more than 80%, outperforming both traditional and other learning-based methods. Despite its learning-based nature, it maintains competitive speed and decompression efficiency, making it practical for use in resource-constrained environments. DICOMP thus represents a significant advancement in intelligent, efficient, and flexible compression techniques.
Keywords: DICOMP; Integer compression; Deep Reinforcement Learning; CIRB