1. A method of decoding, at a computing device, data compressed according to a binary prefix code tree, the method comprising the steps of: receiving at said computing device data encoded with a set of prefix codes; in response to receiving the encoded data at the computing device, writing native machine code for execution by the computing device, the native machine code representing the binary prefix code tree corresponding to the prefix code set, the native machine code including branch opcodes that each correspond to one of a plurality of internal nodes of the binary prefix code tree, shift opcodes that each correspond to an outcome of one of the branch opcodes, and return opcodes that each correspond to one of a plurality of leaf nodes of the binary prefix code tree, and the native machine code excluding memory access opcodes and loop opcodes; and decoding the encoded data by executing the native machine code at the computing device.