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compression



Linux: Compression How-to: tar gzip bzip2 xz 7zip rar zip


This page shows you how to decompress or compress file or directory in Linux.

tar archive (.tar)

“tar” is unix standard for archiving a folder. Tar makes a directory into a single file. Tar does not compress.
  • To archive a folder, do: 
#tar cvf new name.tardirname
#tar cvf archive.tar file1 file2 file3
  • To unarchive, do: tar xvf filename

  • To list contents#tar tf archive.tar(to list contents of file)
Red color- archive file
Blue- directory
Black-file
Here's what the option means:
  • x → eXtract
  • v → verbose, meaning print out status.
  • f → file.
  • c → create.
“tar” can untar and decompress in one step:
  • To tar and compress with gzip: tar xvfzfilename
  • To tar and compress with bz2: tar xvfjfilename
  • To tar and compress with xz: tar xvfJfilename

gzip compression (.gz)

gzip is unix standard for compressing a single file. gzip is often used together with tar.
  • To compress: gzipfilename
  • Decompress: gzip -d filename or gunzipfilename

bzip2 compression (.bz2)

Alternative to gzip, for compressing a single file. File size smaller than gzip.
  • To compress: bzip2 filename
  • Decompress: bzip2 -d filename

xz compression (.xz)

Alternative to gzip, for compressing a single file. File size smaller than bzip2. xz is derived from 7-zip.
  • To compress: xzfilename
  • Decompress: unxzfilename or xz -d filename

 

 

#du  -h /etc [34 mb]



#tar cJf /root/etcbackup.tar.xz /etc [5.7 mb]

 

#tar cjf /root/etcbackup.tar.bzip2 /etc [7 mb]

 

#tar czf /root/etcbackup.tar.gz /etc [8.4 mb]

 

 

zip archive (.zip)

ZIP (file format) is for archiving and compressing a folder or single file. Originally from Microsoft Windows world.
  • To create archive: zip -r new name.zipdirname
  • To extract: unzip filename

7-zip archive (.7z)

7-zip is for archiving and compressing a folder (similar to zip). Originally from Microsoft Windows world. Compresses the best.
The 7z util can decompress many formats.
  • To create archive: 7z a -t7z new name.7zdirname
  • To extract: 7z e filename

rar archive (.rar .rev .r00 .r01 .r02 …)

RAR (file format) is proprietary, from Windows world. Often used for pirated videos. File extension: {.rar .rev .r00 .r01 .r02 …}.
  • To extract rar files, use 7z e filename.

Compression File Size Comparison

  • emacs-24.2.tar.gz 49M
  • emacs-24.2.tar.bz2 40M
  • emacs-24.2.tar.xz 33M

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