[Salesforce / Apex] Retrieving zipped static resource files from code

Some days ago one of my awesome colleagues asked me: "Can you get a zipped file into a static resource from Apex?".
My very first thought was NO.

But after having said that syllable, I understood that this could be possible, using an HTTP GET call + cookies + correct resource URL.

This is the solution I came into:

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Http h = new Http(); HttpRequest request = new HttpRequest(); request.setEndpoint(URL.getSalesforceBaseUrl().toExternalForm()+'resource/ZIPPEDRESOURCE/file.ext'); request.setMethod('GET'); request.setHeader('Cookie','sid='+UserInfo.getSessionId()+';'); request.setTimeout(60000); HttpResponse request = h.send(request); if(request.getStatusCode() != 200){     //handle the error     throw new CustomException('Unable to load resource');    } //now you can get the content String fileContent = request.getBody(); //or Blob fileContentAsBlob = request.getBodyAsBlob();

The last thing to do is to enable your instance URL from Setup > Remote Site Settings, allowing https://xxx.salesforce.com but also I suggest https://c.xxx.visual.force.com and wathever it makes sense (there could be some URL path I haven't though to).

No surprise that this could be used to get any resource in the CRM (with the proper URL handling).