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In computing, tar is a computer software utility for collecting many files into one archive file, often referred to as a tarball, for distribution or backup purposes. The name is derived from "tape archive", as it was originally developed to write data to sequential I/O devices with no file system of their own, such as devices that use magnetic tape.
tar with gzip, compress, bzip2, lzip, xz, or zstd Multiple Multiple Yes The "tarball" format combines tar archives with a file-based compression scheme (usually gzip). Commonly used for source and binary distribution on Unix-like platforms, widely available elsewhere. Xarchiver supports the .tar.zst Archive/Compression format on Unix-like ...
Archiving various uncompressed files via tar and then compressing yields a compressed archive: a .tar.gz file – this is solid compression. A rough graphical representation: In this example, three files each have a common part with the same information, a unique part with information not in the other files, and an "air" part with low-entropy ...
Per-file compression with gzip, bzip2, lzo, xz or lzma (as opposed to compressing the whole archive). An individual can choose not to compress already compressed files based on their filename suffix. Fast-extracting of files from anywhere in the archive; Fast listing of archive contents through saving the catalogue of files in the archive
The operating systems the archivers can run on without emulation or compatibility layer. Ubuntu's own GUI Archive manager, for example, can open and create many archive formats (including Rar archives) even to the extent of splitting into parts and encryption and ability to be read by the native program.
(The tar program in its own does not compress; it just stores multiple files within one tape archive.) Files can be returned to their original state using uncompress. The usual action of uncompress is not merely to create an uncompressed copy of the file, but also to restore the timestamp and other attributes of the compressed file.
Self-extracting files are used to share compressed files with a party that may not have the software needed to decompress a regular archive. Users can also use self-extracting archives to distribute their own software. For example, the WinRAR installation program is made using the graphical GUI RAR self-extracting module Default.sfx. [citation ...
Archive files are particularly useful in that they store file system data and metadata within the contents of a particular file, and thus can be stored on systems or sent over channels that do not support the file system in question, only file contents – examples include sending a directory structure over email, files with names unsupported on the target file system due to length or ...