Command library / tar

Create or extract archive files

Bundles many files into one archive, or unpacks one. The classic combo is c+z+v+f (create, gzip-compress, verbose, filename) to make a .tar.gz, and x+z+v+f to unpack one. The letters can be bundled after a single dash, and whichever position 'f' ends up in, the archive filename comes right after it.

Usage

Options and flags

• files

  files/directories to archive (create mode) — none needed for extract/list

• -c

  create a new archive

• -x

  extract from an archive

• -t

  list an archive's contents without extracting

• -z

  compress/decompress with gzip (.tar.gz)

• -v

  verbose: list each file as it's processed

• -f FILE

  the archive file name — almost always the last letter before the name

Examples

• tar -czvf backup.tar.gz project/

  Create a compressed archive of the project/ folder.

• tar -xzvf backup.tar.gz

  Unpack that archive in the current directory.

• tar -tzvf backup.tar.gz

  See what's inside without extracting anything — check before you unpack an unknown archive.

Common mistakes

Related commands