# tar

> Archiving utility.
> Optional compression with gzip / bzip.

- Create an archive from files:

`tar cf {{target.tar}} {{file1 file2 file3}}`

- Create a gzipped archive:

`tar czf {{target.tar.gz}} {{file1 file2 file3}}`

- Extract an archive in a target folder:

`tar xf {{source.tar}} -C {{folder}}`

- Extract a gzipped archive in the current directory:

`tar xzf {{source.tar.gz}}`

- Extract a bzipped archive in the current directory:

`tar xjf {{source.tar.bz2}}`

- Create a compressed archive, using archive suffix to determine the compression program:

`tar caf {{target.tar.xz}} {{file1 file2 file3}}`

- List the contents of a tar file:

`tar tvf {{source.tar}}`