A tar archive file is commonly used on Linux servers. Its benefits include being easy to use and short packing/unpacking times. However, tar files are less secure compared to some other archive format...
A tar archive file is commonly used on Linux servers. Its benefits include being easy to use and short packing/unpacking times. However, tar files are less secure compared to some other archive formats. They can also be quite large. The name ‘.tar’ is short for ‘Tape Archive File’.
To create a tar file in Linux, use the command: tar -cf YourArchiveName.tar path/to/your/files-or-folder. This bundles multiple files into a single archive without compression. Files with extensions .tar.gz, .tgz, .tar.bz2, and .txz, are tar files that have been compressed.
From the 7-Zip File Manager, you can also create a .tar archive by selecting files or folders. Right-click and select ‘7-Zip -> Add to archive’ then choose the tar format.
Tar archives do not automatically open on most systems. Though .zip file managers may support .tar files, you likely need software specifically built to handle tar archives to open them. If double clicking the .tar does not launch an app, try right clicking for options. Updating your file extraction softwares can also add .tar compatibility.
Overall, tar archives allow easy bundling of files for storage and sharing, especially helpful for server backups. Compressed tarballs save space but have slower processing times. Be sure you have software that recognizes the .tar format to open these file containers on your system.
