> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.ora.illumina.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.ora.illumina.com/introduction/readme.md).

# Illumina® DRAGEN™ ORA Decompression Software Family

{% hint style="warning" %} <mark style="color:orange;">**Warning**</mark>\ <mark style="color:orange;">**This user guide is intended for users who are working with FASTQ.ORA files AND who are not using the DRAGEN secondary analysis software**</mark><mark style="color:orange;">.</mark>
{% endhint %}

DRAGEN v3.8 has introduced ORA Compression, a fully lossless compression algorithm to compress FASTQ.GZ files at a ratio up to x5 vs FASTQ.GZ. FASTQ.ORA files can be used as-is within the DRAGEN ecosystem. **For users who are not using the DRAGEN secondary analysis software**, FASTQ.ORA files can either be:

* used as-is, in a seamless manner, with most common downstream software, using **DRAGEN ORA Helper Suite** standalone software; or
* decompressed, using **DRAGEN ORA Decompression** standalone software.

These two standalone software can be downloaded for free, from the [ORA Support Site](https://support.illumina.com/sequencing/sequencing_software/DRAGENORA.html)

Please refer to the relevant user guide for using them.


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