112 lines
2.5 KiB
Markdown
112 lines
2.5 KiB
Markdown
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# Compression In Linux (tar and gzip)
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1. Introduction to tar and gzip
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2. Using tar
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3. Using gzip
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4. Combining tar and gzip
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5. Advanced usage and options
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6. Best practices and tips
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## 1. Introduction to tar and gzip:
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tar (Tape Archive) and gzip (GNU Zip) are two essential utilities in Linux for archiving and compressing files.
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- tar: Creates archives by combining multiple files and directories into a single file.
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- gzip: Compresses single files to reduce their size.
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These tools are often used together to create compressed archives.
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## 2. Using tar:
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Basic syntax: tar [options] [archive_name] [files_to_archive]
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Common options:
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- c: Create a new archive
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- x: Extract files from an archive
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- v: Verbose mode (list files processed)
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- f: Specify the archive file name
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Examples:
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- Create an archive:
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```
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tar -cvf archive.tar file1 file2 directory1
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```
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- Extract an archive:
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```
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tar -xvf archive.tar
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```
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- List contents of an archive:
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```
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tar -tvf archive.tar
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```
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## 3. Using gzip:
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Basic syntax: gzip [options] [file_name]
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Common options:
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- d: Decompress
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- r: Recursive (compress files in directories)
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- v: Verbose mode
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- [number]: Compression level (1-9, 9 being highest)
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Examples:
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- Compress a file:
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```
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gzip file.txt
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```
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- Decompress a file:
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```
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gzip -d file.txt.gz
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```
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- Compress with highest level:
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```
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gzip -9 file.txt
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```
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## 4. Combining tar and gzip:
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tar can use gzip compression directly with the 'z' option.
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- Create a compressed archive:
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```
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tar -czvf archive.tar.gz directory1
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```
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- Extract a compressed archive:
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```
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tar -xzvf archive.tar.gz
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```
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## 5. Advanced usage and options:
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- Exclude files or directories:
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```
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tar -czvf archive.tar.gz directory1 --exclude=*.log
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```
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- Update an existing archive:
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```
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tar -uvf archive.tar newfile
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```
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- Use bzip2 compression (often better for text):
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```
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tar -cjvf archive.tar.bz2 directory1
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```
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- Preserve file permissions:
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```
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tar -cpvf archive.tar directory1
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```
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- Split large archives:
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```
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tar -cvf - directory1 | split -b 1G - archive.tar.part
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```
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## 6. Best practices and tips:
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- Use .tar.gz or .tgz extension for gzip-compressed tar archives
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- Test archives after creation by listing or extracting
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- Use compression levels wisely (higher levels are slower)
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- Consider using xz for better compression (use -J option with tar)
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- For large backups, consider using incremental backups with tar's --listed-incremental option
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This guide covers the basics and some advanced usage of tar and gzip in Linux.
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