Abstract: An apparatus for performing LZW data decompression in hardware is described. In one exemplary implementation, the apparatus includes processing modules configured to decompress compressed data using an LZW data decompression algorithm. Operations associated with decompressing the compressed data are segmented into stages. For each particular stage, one or more of the processing modules are assigned to perform operations appurtenant to that particular stage and collectively decompress the compressed data. Each processing module is implemented in hardware and configured to operate independently with respect to the operations appurtenant to that processing module.