Mechanism for applying transforms to multi-part files

Described is a system and method for applying transforms to multi-part files (202). A request is received to access a stream within a multi-part file. Upon receipt of the request, a list of transforms associated with the stream is identified (210). The list is also included within the multi-part file (202). The transforms specified in the list of transforms are performed on data before completing the request. If the request is a write, the transforms encodes the data (414). If the request is a read, the transforms decode the data (430), the list of transforms is order dependent. The list of transforms includes a data structure having a first stream that includes a map that correlates the stream with a name for the list of transforms, a second stream that lists each of the transforms for the stream, as well as a third stream for each of the transforms listed that identifies information associated with the transform.