Portable Archive Exchange File
General Information
| Title | PAX File Extension |
| Extension | .pax |
| Full Form | Portable Archive Exchange File |
| File Type | Archive File |
| Developer | The Open Group |
| MIME Type | application/x-pax |
File Function
| Primary Function | Data archiving |
| Additional Functions | File storing, Portability |
| Features | Hierarchical, Long filenames |
File Characteristics
| Quality | High compression |
| Supports Layers | N/A |
| Supports Transparency | N/A |
| Editable | Yes, with tools |
Use Cases
| Data Backup | Yes |
| Software Distribution | Yes |
| File Exchange | Yes |
Security and Practices
| Security Risks | Archive bombs |
| Best Practices | Scan for malware, Verify integrity |
Historical/Version Information
| Initial Release | Not standardized |
| Latest Version | Continuously updated |
Associated Types
| Similar Extensions | .tar, .zip, .rar |
Software Compatibility
| Software | Usage Policy | OS Compatibility |
|---|---|---|
 GNU Tar |
Free | Unix, Linux, BSD |
 The Open Group pax |
Free | Unix, Linux |
| Heirloom Project pax |
Free | Unix, Linux |