For new users and students learning how to use and manage Linux systems, the easiest place to start might be on Ubuntu Linux OS. Ubuntu is an open-source Linux operating system that runs on desktops, laptops, servers, and other devices. When you’re ready to learn how to use the tar commands, follow the guide below: About tar command: The tar command stands for tape achieve, which is the most commonly used tape drive backup command used by the Linux/Unix system. It allows you to quickly gather files and save them into a highly compressed archive file commonly called a tarball. Gzip has become the most popular algorithm for compressing tar files. In short, a file that ends with .tar.gz is an archive compressed with gzip algorithm. The same way you use your mouse and keyboard to create archived or zipped files and folders. the tar is the way to do it on the command line. Syntax: The syntax is the rule and format of how the tar command can be used. These syntax options can be reordered, but a straight format must be followed.,. Below is an example syntax of how to use the tar command. Options: The command line options are switches or flags that determined how the commands are executed or controlled. they modify the behavior of the commands. they are separated by spaces and followed after the commands. Below are some options for the tar command: Examples: Below are some examples of how to run and use the tar on Ubuntu Linux. If you want to create an archived file called confidential.tar from files called private and secrets in the same directory, you will run the commands below. To create a new archive file using the tar.gz algorithm from the /documents/public/students directory, you run the commands. You’ll need to use the command with option -C and specify the directory. If you want to extract an archived file to a specified directory, you run the commands below: If you just want to extract the confidential.tar.gz file to the same directory you’re working in, you run the commands below: If you’re not logged in as a root account, you may have to use the sudo command it it. When you run tar with the –help option, you’ll see the help text below: That’s it! Congratulations! You’ve learned how to use the tar command to create and extract archives files.
