.RAR File Extension

Roshal Archive

The RAR file format was created in 1995 by Eugene Roshal, a Russian software engineer. It is used to archive files using various compression methods. There are applications available for Windows, Linu...

General Information

Title RAR File Extension
Extension .rar
Full Form Roshal Archive
File Type Archive File Format
Developer Eugene Roshal
MIME Type application/x-rar-compressed

File Function

Primary Function Data compression, Archiving
Additional Functions Error recovery, File spanning
Features High compression ratio, Multi-volume archives

File Characteristics

Quality Lossless compression
Supports Layers N/A
Supports Transparency N/A
Editable Before extraction

Use Cases

Large Files Yes
Bundling Files Yes
Secure Transfer Yes

Security and Practices

Security Risks Malicious code injection
Best Practices Password protection, Regular scanning

Historical/Version Information

Initial Release 1993
Latest Version RAR5 (2013)

Associated Types

Similar Extensions .zip, .7z, .tar, .gz

Software Compatibility

Software Usage Policy OS Compatibility
WinRAR Trialware Windows, Mac, Linux
7-Zip Free Windows, Linux
Unarchiver Free Mac