When using Linux, there are always cases where compressed files are employed, in the course of downloads or transfers or even backups. There are several tools and methods of Linux to extract the zip files including for the different types of zip files. In this guide, we’ll cover the methods to unzip files in Linux, focusing on the most common formats: Extensions of these packages are .zip, .tar.gz, .tar.bz2, and .gz.
1. Unzipping .zip
Files
Many archive formats exist, but .zip is one of the most popular; Linux has tools for unpacking .zip archives.
Using the unzip
Command
Unzip is normally a default on most of the Linux distributions one uses on their computers. But if it is not, you can easily install it using one of the package managers out there.
To Install unzip
:
Basic Syntax
Example
This command will extract myfile.zip
in the current directory.
Extracting to a Specific Directory
Example
2. Unzipping .tar.gz
and .tar.bz2
Files
The.tar.gz and.tar.bz2 are file formats used to package a group of files into a single entity and then compress the whole entity.
Using the tar
Command
The tar command is the basis to operate with these packing, it supports both .tar.gz and .tar.bz2 extensions.
Basic Syntax:
Options Explained:
-x
: Extract the files.
-v
: Verbose output (shows progress).
-z
: Use gzip compression.
-j
: Use bzip2 compression.
-f
: Specifies the file name.
Example: Extracting a .tar.gz
File