Windows Linux File Management Archives & Compression

Windows `tar.exe -cf` equivalent in Linux

Combines files and directories into a TAR archive without necessarily compressing them.

Windows tar.exe -cf

→

Linux equivalents

Debian/Ubuntu same command

tar -cf archive.tar folder/

Fedora same command

tar -cf archive.tar folder/

Arch same command

tar -cf archive.tar folder/

Overview

What this command does

Combines files and directories into a TAR archive without necessarily compressing them.

Migration tip: tar is available on modern Windows and Linux, but Linux users commonly combine it with gzip or xz using -z or -J.

Practical tasks

Common use cases

Create a TAR archive

Combines files and directories into a TAR archive without necessarily compressing them.

tar -cf archive.tar folder/

Create an uncompressed TAR archive

tar -czf archive.tar.gz folder/

Create a gzip-compressed TAR archive

tar -cJf archive.tar.xz folder/

Create an xz-compressed TAR archive

Ready to run

Copyable Linux commands

Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.

tar -cf archive.tar folder/

tar -czf archive.tar.gz folder/

tar -cJf archive.tar.xz folder/

Walkthrough

Examples with explanations

tar -cf archive.tar folder/ # create a plain TAR archive
tar -czf archive.tar.gz folder/ # create a compressed tar.gz archive
tar -cJf archive.tar.xz folder/ # create a highly compressed tar.xz archive

Reference

Common options and variations

Command or option	Use
`tar -cf archive.tar folder/`	Create an uncompressed TAR archive
`tar -czf archive.tar.gz folder/`	Create a gzip-compressed TAR archive
`tar -cJf archive.tar.xz folder/`	Create an xz-compressed TAR archive

Distro differences

Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch

This command is the same on Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch Linux when the relevant tool is installed.

Distribution	Package manager / base	Equivalent command	Difference to notice
Debian/Ubuntu	same command	`tar -cf archive.tar folder/`	Same command on this distribution.
Fedora	same command	`tar -cf archive.tar folder/`	Same command on this distribution.
Arch	same command	`tar -cf archive.tar folder/`	Same command on this distribution.

Keep learning

What this command does

Common use cases

Create a TAR archive

tar -cf archive.tar folder/

tar -czf archive.tar.gz folder/

tar -cJf archive.tar.xz folder/

Copyable Linux commands

Examples with explanations

Common options and variations

Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch

Related File Management commands