How to Unzip/Extract tar.gz Files in Linux {Basic tar commands}

Before diving into the extraction process, it’s crucial to understand what .tar.gz files are. The .tar portion represents the archiving process, bundling multiple files into a single .tar file. The .gz extension denotes gzip compression, further reducing the archive’s size. Together, .tar.gz encapsulates a compressed archive.

The primary tool for managing .tar.gz files on Linux is the tar command. To extract a .tar.gz file, you’ll use the following syntax:

tar -xzvf filename.tar.gz

• x: Extract the archive.
• z: Uncompress the gzip compression.
• v: Verbose output, showing the files being extracted.
• f: Specify the filename of the archive.

Extracting in the same Directory

If you want to extract that file in the same directory where you have uploaded then it is damn easy to unzip the file with this command

1. Make sure you are in the correct directory by using cd /directoryname command

tar -xzvf yourfile.tar.gz

2. Verify the Extracted Files: Once the process completes, use the ls command to list the directory contents and verify the extraction.

ls -l

Extracting .tar.gz to a different Directory

To extract the contents of a .tar.gz file to a different directory, use the -C option followed by the path to the desired directory.

tar -xzvf yourfile.tar.gz -C /path/to/destination

See the Files in .tar.gz without Extracting it

Before extracting, you might want to see what’s inside the archive. Use the -t option to list the contents without extracting them.

tar -tzvf yourfile.tar.gz

Adding Files/Directory in tar.gz

While this guide focuses on extraction, it’s useful to know how to create .tar.gz files. Use the following command to compress and archive a directory:

tar -czvf newarchive.tar.gz /path/to/directory

Conclusion

Extracting .tar.gz files in Linux is a fundamental skill for any Linux user or administrator. By understanding the basic commands and incorporating some of the additional tips provided, you can handle these archives more efficiently and effectively.