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What is it
TAR is a Unix archive format that bundles multiple files and directories into a single file without compressing them — preserving permissions, ownership, and symlinks. Unix's duct tape. Compression is handled separately: pair TAR with gzip (.tar.gz), bzip2 (.tar.bz2), or XZ (.tar.xz) for smaller files. This two-step approach feels archaic but gives you flexibility to choose your compression algorithm. TAR is the backbone of Linux distribution and deployment. Standard on Linux and macOS; Windows users need 7-Zip or similar.
Technical details
Safety
What opens it
Built-in on macOS/Linux
7-Zip
FAQ
What's the difference between TAR and ZIP?
ZIP compresses and bundles in one step. TAR only bundles — compression is a separate layer (gzip, bzip2, xz). TAR preserves Unix file permissions and symlinks, which ZIP does not. Use ZIP for cross-platform sharing, TAR for Unix/Linux workflows.
How do I open TAR files on Windows?
7-Zip (free) handles TAR, tar.gz, and tar.bz2 files. Windows 10/11 also has built-in tar support via the command line (tar -xf file.tar).
What is a .tar.gz file?
A TAR archive compressed with gzip. TAR bundles the files; gzip compresses the bundle. It is the most common archive format on Linux — you will see it for source code releases, backups, and software packages.
Related formats