The tar command is used to create and extract archive files in a Linux environment. It is commonly used for grouping multiple files into a single archive or unpacking existing archives.
This command is often used when managing backups, transferring website files, or deploying applications via SSH.
Table of Contents
How the command works
The basic structure is:
tar [options] archive_name.tar files_or_directories
The behavior of the command depends on the options used.
Creating an archive
To create a .tar archive:
tar -cvf archive.tar directory/
Explanation:
c– create a new archivev– show progress (verbose output)f– specify the archive file name
Extracting an archive
To extract files from a .tar archive:
tar -xvf archive.tar
Explanation:
x– extract filesv– show progressf– specify archive file
Viewing archive contents
You can view the contents without extracting:
tar -tvf archive.tar
Practical use cases
The tar command is commonly used for:
- creating backups of website files
- packaging applications or directories
- transferring multiple files as a single archive
- restoring data from backups
Practical implications
The tar command does not compress files by default. It only combines them into a single archive. Compression can be added using additional tools such as gzip (e.g. .tar.gz).
Working with large archives may take time depending on the number and size of files included.
Summary
The tar command is used to create, inspect, and extract archive files in Linux systems. It is a standard tool for managing backups and grouped file transfers in SSH environments.