Cram creates and extracts ZIP, 7z, tar (with gzip, xz, zstd, bzip2, lz4 and brotli), ISO 9660 and
its own deduplicating .cram format, and reads RAR. The same four verbs work on every format, and
the format is detected from magic bytes rather than the file extension.
It can also mount an archive as a folder instead of extracting it, find duplicate files across
drives, write Reed-Solomon recovery sidecars, sign archives with ed25519, and download files over
several connections at once with resume and mirror failover.
This package installs two commands: `cram`, and `cram-extract`, a standalone decoder for .cram
files that shares no code with the main engine so a damaged archive has an independent way back.
Mounting requires the optional Windows feature Client-ProjFS, which is off by default. Every other
command works without it.
Publisher’s description
What is Cram?
Cram by Nexal IT is open-source Windows software in the archivers category. It is written in Rust.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides Portable installers for 64-bit Windows. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 1.3.2, released on October 12, 2026. The version history goes back to August 12, 2026: 3 releases, all linked to the official files. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (lukr54/cram) has 4 stars. Similar programs include 7-Zip, PeaZip and WinRAR.
Project description on GitHub: “Multi-format archive tool in Rust. ZIP, 7z, tar, ISO and RAR in one command, mountable as folders, plus a native format that dedups and losslessly repacks JPEGs.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Portable: runs without installation
- Updated in the last two months
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: Cram is an open-source archiver tool for 64-bit PCs.
Is Cram safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
5870027EB7D332B8CCD5D1AF49FE07C56C3A0C8532BAA0BDB546CF2A155644CD· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 3 versions ›| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3.2Latest | October 12, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 1.3.1 | September 1, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 1.1.0 | August 12, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Nexalit.Cram -eRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- Nexal IT
- Category
- Archivers
- Licence
- Apache-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/lukr54/cram
- Written in
- Rust
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 1.3.2
- Released
- October 12, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- August 31, 2026
- Versions listed
- 3
- GitHub stars
- 4
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- Nexalit.Cram
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Cram free?
Yes. Cram is open-source software under the Apache-2.0 licence.
Is Cram safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Cram with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Does Cram run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of Cram?
The versions page lists all 3 versions with links to their official installer files, back to August 12, 2026.
Can I use Cram without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to Cram?
7-Zip, PeaZip, WinRAR, UPX and Zstandard. The alternatives page compares them.