By: Erik Solis | Published: 09/02/2023 @ 11:30 PM EST

Objective: Learn how to create and extract tar.gzip files

Topics Covered:

1. Creating a Tarball
   • 1.1 Making a new archive using tar
   • 1.2 Compressing the archive using gzip
2. Extracting a Tarball
   • 2.1 Decompressing the archive using gunzip
   • 2.2 Extracting the contents of archive using tar

What is a tarball file?

The “.tar.gz” format combines two types of compression. First, the “.tar” extension stands for “tape archive,” which bundles multiple files and directories into a single archive file without compressing them. Then, the “.gz” extension represents the “gzip” compression, which is applied to the “.tar” archive to reduce its size. This two-step process creates a compressed archive that retains the file structure while reducing overall size. It’s commonly used in Unix-like systems for archiving and distributing files.

Creating a Tarball

1.1 Making a new archive using tar

You can create a gzipped tar archive using the tar command like so:

tar -zvf archive_name.tar.gz files_or_directories_to_archive

Here's what each part of the command does:

• tar: The command itself for working with tar archives.
• z: Compresses the archive using gzip.
• v: Displays verbose output, showing the files being archived.
• f: Specifies the filename of the archive.
• archive_name.tar.gz: Replace this with the desired name for your archive.