Zipping and Unzipping Files under Linux

Asked by Yamir

Q. Windows has winzip program what about Linux; I cannot find anything under Application menu. I am using Debian Linux distribution. How do I zip and unzip file under Linux?

A. Linux has both zip and unzip program. By default, these utilities not installed (see Linux winzip like GUI tools/utilities below). To install them from shell prompt (open shell prompt by clicking on Application > System Tools > Terminal ). You must be a root user, Type following two commands to install zip and unzip program:

# apt-get install zip
# apt-get install unzip

If you are Red Hat Linux/Fedora user then you can use yum command to install zip and unzip program:

# yum install zip
# yum install unzip

• zip is a compression and file packaging utility for Linux and Unix (including FreeBSD, Solaris etc).
• unzip will list, test, or extract files from a ZIP archive files.

zip examples:
Creates the archive data.zip and puts all the files in the current directory in it in compressed form

$ zip data *

No need to add .zip extension or suffix as it is added automatically by zip command.

To zip up an entire directory (including all subdirectories), the command:

$  zip -r data *

unzip example:
To use unzip to extract all files of the archive pics.zip into the current directory & subdirectories:

$ unzip  pics.zip

You can also test pics.zip, printing only a summary message indicating whether the archive is OK or not:

$ unzip -tq pics.zip

To extract the file called cv.doc from pics.zip:

$ unzip pics.zip  cv.doc

To extract all files into the /tmp directory:

$ unzip pics.zip  -d /tmp

To list all files from pics.zip:

$ unzip -l pics.zip

Linux GUI packages like Winzip:
You can use graphics packages

* KDE Desktop: Ark is an Archive Manager for the KDE Desktop. You can start Ark from Application > Accessories.

* GNOME Desktop: File Roller ia an Archive Manager for the GNOME Desktop.

For more information please consult following resources:

• Compressing files under Linux or UNIX cheat sheet
• Read man pages of zip and unzip (type man zip or man unzip at shell prompt)
• ark handbook
• File Roller home page

Featured Articles:

• 20 Linux System Monitoring Tools Every SysAdmin Should Know
• 20 Linux Server Hardening Security Tips
• 10 Greatest Open Source Software Of 2009
• My 10 UNIX Command Line Mistakes
• Top 5 Email Client For Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows Users
• Top 20 OpenSSH Server Best Security Practices
• Top 10 Open Source Web-Based Project Management Software
• Top 5 Linux Video Editor Software