How to: Unzip TGZ

If you have ever downloaded a file from the internet, chances are you have come across a “.tgz” file. A “.tgz” file is a compressed archive file that contains one or more files or directories. These files are commonly used on Unix-based operating systems, such as Linux. In this article, we will explain what a “.tgz” file is, and how to unzip it using some simple commands.

What is a TGZ file?

A “.tgz” file is a compressed archive file that is created using the “tar” command and then compressed using the “gzip” command. The “.tgz” extension is short for “tar.gz”. The “.tar” extension stands for “tape archive”, which was originally used to store files on magnetic tape. The “.gz” extension stands for “gzip”, which is a file compression utility.

How to Unzip a TGZ file?

To unzip a “.tgz” file, you need to use the “tar” command followed by the “gzip” command. The following command will extract the contents of a “.tgz” file:

tar -xvzf filename.tgz

Here is a breakdown of the command:

• “tar” is the command used to manipulate “.tar” files.
• “-x” flag is used to extract the contents of the archive.
• “-v” flag is used to display the progress of the extraction.
• “-z” flag is used to tell “tar” to use “gzip” to decompress the archive.
• “-f” flag is used to specify the file name of the archive.

For example, if you have a file named “example.tgz”, you would use the following command to extract its contents:

tar -xvzf example.tgz

This will extract the contents of the archive into the current directory.

Other Commands to Work with TGZ Files

Creating a TGZ file

You can also create a “.tgz” file using the “tar” command. The following command will create a “.tgz” file:

tar -czvf filename.tgz directory/

Here is a breakdown of the command:

• “tar” is the command used to manipulate “.tar” files.
• “-c” flag is used to create a new archive.
• “-z” flag is used to tell “tar” to use “gzip” to compress the archive.
• “-v” flag is used to display the progress of the compression.
• “-f” flag is used to specify the file name of the archive.
• “directory/” is the name of the directory that you want to compress.

Listing the Contents of a TGZ file

You can list the contents of a “.tgz” file using the “tar” command. The following command will list the contents of a “.tgz” file:

tar -tzvf filename.tgz

Here is a breakdown of the command:

• “tar” is the command used to manipulate “.tar” files.
• “-t” flag is used to list the contents of the archive.
• “-z” flag is used to tell “tar” to use “gzip” to decompress the archive.
• “-v” flag is used to display the progress of the operation.
• “-f” flag is used to specify the file name of the archive.

Conclusion

In this article, we have explained what a “.tgz” file is, and how to unzip it using the “tar” and “gzip” commands. We have also shown you how to create a “.tgz” file, and how to list the contents of a “.tgz” file. We hope this guide has been helpful, and you are now able to work with “.tgz” files with ease.