---
syntax: markdown
tags: [tldr, common]
source: https://github.com/tldr-pages/tldr.git
---
# tar

> Archiving utility.
> Often combined with a compression method, such as `gzip` or `bzip2`.
> More information: <https://www.gnu.org/software/tar>.

- [c]reate an archive and write it to a [f]ile:

`tar cf {{path/to/target.tar}} {{path/to/file1 path/to/file2 ...}}`

- [c]reate a g[z]ipped archive and write it to a [f]ile:

`tar czf {{path/to/target.tar.gz}} {{path/to/file1 path/to/file2 ...}}`

- [c]reate a g[z]ipped archive from a directory using relative paths:

`tar czf {{path/to/target.tar.gz}} --directory={{path/to/directory}} .`

- E[x]tract a (compressed) archive [f]ile into the current directory [v]erbosely:

`tar xvf {{path/to/source.tar[.gz|.bz2|.xz]}}`

- E[x]tract a (compressed) archive [f]ile into the target directory:

`tar xf {{path/to/source.tar[.gz|.bz2|.xz]}} --directory={{path/to/directory}}`

- [c]reate a compressed archive and write it to a [f]ile, using the file extension to [a]utomatically determine the compression program:

`tar caf {{path/to/target.tar.xz}} {{path/to/file1 path/to/file2 ...}}`

- Lis[t] the contents of a tar [f]ile [v]erbosely:

`tar tvf {{path/to/source.tar}}`

- E[x]tract files matching a pattern from an archive [f]ile:

`tar xf {{path/to/source.tar}} --wildcards "{{*.html}}"`
