In this tutorial, you are going to learn how to compress and uncompress files with zip command in Linux. zip is a compression and file packaging utility for Unix, VMS, MSDOS, OS/2, Windows 9x/NT/XP, Minix, Atari, Macintosh, Amiga, and Acorn RISC OS. zip command, apart from packaging and compression of files it is also used for archiving files. To uncompress files in Linux, use unzip command. It list, test and extract compressed files in a ZIP archive
Zip Syntax:
zip [options] zipfile file...
Unzip Syntax:
unzip [options] zipfile file...
Compress and Uncompress Files with zip Command in Linux
In Ubuntu distros, by default zip and unzip utilities are installed. If not installed open your terminal and run the following commands in order to install them.
Debian or Ubuntu Linux;
Install zip,
sudo apt install zip
install uzip,
sudo apt install unzip
RHEL or CentOS Linux;
Install zip,
sudo yum install zip
Install unzip,
sudo yum install unzip
Fedora Linux 22 and above;
Install zip;
sudo dnf install zip
Install unzip;
sudo dnf install unzip
Compress Files with zip command in Linux
Compress Single Files
Use the following command to zip a single file in the current directory;
zip users.zip user1.txt
adding: user1.txt (deflated 5%)Check if the zip file has been generated,
ls -lh
total 24K
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 42 Mar 29 00:27 user1.txt
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 91 Mar 29 00:28 user2.txt
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 115 Mar 29 00:28 user3.txt
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 150 Mar 29 00:28 user4.txt
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 203 Mar 29 00:29 user5.txt
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 208 Mar 29 00:32 users.zipthe file has been created, we have users.zip file in the output above.
Compress Several Files with zip command in Linux
zip can compress multiple file at once, use the following command to accomplish the task;
zip multiple.zip user1.txt user2.txt user3.txt user4.txt user5.txt
adding: user1.txt (deflated 5%)
adding: user2.txt (deflated 11%)
adding: user3.txt (deflated 13%)
adding: user4.txt (deflated 18%)
adding: user5.txt (deflated 22%)confirm if the multiple.zip has been created,
ls -lh
total 28K
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 1.3K Mar 29 09:57 multiple.zip
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 42 Mar 29 00:27 user1.txt
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 91 Mar 29 00:28 user2.txt
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 115 Mar 29 00:28 user3.txt
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 150 Mar 29 00:28 user4.txt
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 203 Mar 29 00:29 user5.txtFor the files which have the same extension, i.e (.txt) use wildcard (*) instead of typing all files. This make work easier and save time.
zip multiple.zip *.txt
updating: user1.txt (deflated 5%)
updating: user2.txt (deflated 11%)
updating: user3.txt (deflated 13%)
updating: user4.txt (deflated 18%)
updating: user5.txt (deflated 22%)Confirm the zip file created,
ls -lh
total 28K
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 1.3K Mar 29 10:08 multiple.zip
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 42 Mar 29 00:27 user1.txt
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 91 Mar 29 00:28 user2.txt
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 115 Mar 29 00:28 user3.txt
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 150 Mar 29 00:28 user4.txt
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 203 Mar 29 00:29 user5.txtCompress a Directory with Zip command in Linux
To compress a directory, use zip command with option -r (recursive) i.e zip -r zipfile directoryname
zip -r contents.zip ~/Downloads
adding: home/thehero/Downloads/ (stored 0%)
adding: home/thehero/Downloads/25 Days of Christmas Writeup (Blurred).pdf (deflated 5%)
adding: home/thehero/Downloads/vagrant_2.2.14_x86_64.deb (deflated 1%)
adding: home/thehero/Downloads/HOW TO CREATE USERS AND COMPUTER VIA GROUP POLICY.pdf (deflated 26%)
adding: home/thehero/Downloads/xampp-linux-x64-7.4.11-0-installer.run (deflated 1%)
adding: home/thehero/Downloads/LPIC-1 Linux Professional Institute Certification Study Guide [BooksRack.net].pdf (deflated 17%)use ls -lh to confirm the zip file,
ls -lh
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 206M Mar 29 10:19 contents.zipUpdate an Existing zip in Linux
To add add a new file to an existing zip file, use zip command with -u option i.e zip -u zipfile file
zip -u users.zip user6.txt
adding: user6.txt (deflated 22%)user6.txt has been added to users.zip
Delete a File from a zip file in Linux
You can as well remove a file in an existing zip file, use zip command with -d option i.e zip -d zipfile file
zip -d users.zip user2.txt
deleting: user1.txtuser1.txt has been deleted from users.zip
Compress Files Quietly with zip command
To zip files in a quite operation that is, do not display the output when the compression is taking place use zip command with -q option i.e zip -q zipfile file
zip -q instance.zip *.txt
In the above command, we get no output but if we check the zip files with ls -ah you find that instance.zip file has been created.
ls -lh
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 1.3K Mar 29 11:17 instance.zipCompress a File to a Different Directory
To compress a file to a different directory provide a path to a directory where you want to zip a file to. i.e zip /path/to/directoryzipfile file
zip ~/Downloads/users.zip *.txt
adding: user1.txt (deflated 5%)
adding: user3.txt (deflated 13%)
adding: user4.txt (deflated 18%)
adding: user5.txt (deflated 22%)
adding: user6.txt (deflated 22%)users.zip file has been created in ~/Downloads directory
Delete Original Files After compression
By default, zip maintain original files after compression. To delete original files after compression use zip command with -m option i.e zip -m zipfile file
zip -m users.zip *.txt
updating: user6.txt (deflated 22%)
adding: user1.txt (deflated 5%)
adding: user3.txt (deflated 13%)
adding: user4.txt (deflated 18%)
adding: user5.txt (deflated 22%)With ls -lh command we can see the output is user.zip file without .txt files which means the files have been deleted.
ls -lh
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 1.3K Mar 29 11:48 users.zipCompress Files with Different Levels
When compressing files, we can set different types of compression. The levels ranges from 0-9 with 9 being the highest level and 0 being the lowest level.
Compress Files in Low Level
Use the following command to compress files in low level.
zip -0 users1.zip *.txt
updating: user6.txt (stored 0%)
updating: user1.txt (stored 0%)
updating: user3.txt (stored 0%)
updating: user4.txt (stored 0%)
updating: user5.txt (stored 0%)Compress Files in High Level
Use the following command to compress files in high level.
zip -9 users.zip *.txt
adding: user1.txt (deflated 5%)
adding: user3.txt (deflated 13%)
adding: user4.txt (deflated 18%)
adding: user5.txt (deflated 22%)
adding: user6.txt (deflated 22%)We can compare the output of low and high level.
ls -lh
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 1.5K Mar 29 12:19 users1.zip
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 1.3K Mar 29 12:19 users.zipIn the above output,we see that different sizes of different levels are obtained. users.zip compressed with high level has smaller size as compared to users1.zip compressed with low level has bigger size.
Compress Files With Encryption
To create a zip file protected with a password, use zip command with -e option i.e zip -e zipfile file. When creating a zip file of this kind, you will be prompted to enter a password and also you have to verify the password to confirm.
zip -e encrypted.zip *.txt
Enter password:
Verify password:
adding: user1.txt (deflated 5%)
adding: user3.txt (deflated 13%)
adding: user4.txt (deflated 18%)
adding: user5.txt (deflated 22%)
adding: user6.txt (deflated 22%)Add Password to Compressed File
To encrypt previously created zip file which was not encrypted or protected with a password, use zipcloak command i.e zipcloak zipfile
zipcloak users.zip
Enter password:
Verify password:
encrypting: user1.txt
encrypting: user3.txt
encrypting: user4.txt
encrypting: user5.txt
encrypting: user6.txtWhen you run the above command you will be prompted to enter a password and verify it for the zip file which is users.zip
Search For Files Inside Compressed File
To search files in a ZIP archive for lines matching a pattern, use zipgrep command. zipgrep will search files within a ZIP archive for lines matching the given string or pattern. i.e
zipgrep pattern zipfilezipgrep love users2.zip
user2.txt: i love linux and it distributionsDisplay Details of a Compressed File
To display the internal structure of zip files, use zipdetails command. Zipdetails displays information about the internal record structure of the zip file. i.e zipdetails zipfile
zipdetails users2.zip
0000 LOCAL HEADER #1 04034B50
0004 Extract Zip Spec 14 '2.0'
0005 Extract OS 00 'MS-DOS'
0006 General Purpose Flag 0000
[Bits 1-2] 0 'Normal Compression'
0008 Compression Method 0008 'Deflated'
000A Last Mod Time 527D0366 'Mon Mar 29 00:27:12 2021'
000E CRC 1D3B3074
0012 Compressed Length 00000028
0016 Uncompressed Length 0000002A
001A Filename Length 0009
001C Extra Length 001C
001E Filename 'user1.txt'
0027 Extra ID #0001 5455 'UT: Extended Timestamp'
0029 Length 0009
002B Flags '03 mod access'
002C Mod Time 6060F4B0 'Mon Mar 29 00:27:12 2021'
0030 Access Time 60619A56 'Mon Mar 29 12:13:58 2021'
0034 Extra ID #0002 7875 'ux: Unix Extra Type 3'
0036 Length 000B
0038 Version 01
0039 UID Size 04
003A UID 000003E8
003E GID Size 04
003F GID 000003E8
0043 PAYLOAD .J...K.R....+...K.(.v.v.....r... .......Display Detailed Information a Compressed Files
To list detailed information about a ZIP archive, use zipinfo command. Zipinfo lists technical information about files in a ZIP archive.
Such information includes file access permissions, encryption status, type of compression, version and operating system or file system of compressing program, and the like. zipinfo zipfile
zipinfo users.zip
Archive: users.zip
Zip file size: 1572 bytes, number of entries: 6
-rw-rw-r-- 3.0 unx 42 Tx defX 21-Mar-29 00:27 user1.txt
-rw-rw-r-- 3.0 unx 115 Tx defX 21-Mar-29 00:28 user3.txt
-rw-rw-r-- 3.0 unx 150 Tx defX 21-Mar-29 00:28 user4.txt
-rw-rw-r-- 3.0 unx 203 Tx defX 21-Mar-29 00:29 user5.txt
-rw-rw-r-- 3.0 unx 203 Tx defX 21-Mar-29 10:33 user6.txt
-rw-rw-r-- 3.0 unx 35 tx stor 21-Mar-29 13:19 user2.txt
6 files, 748 bytes uncompressed, 614 bytes compressed: 17.9%Uncompress Files with zip command in Linux
Uncompress Single Files
Use the following command to unzip a single file in the current directory;
unzip users2.zip
Archive: users1.zip
extracting: user1.txt
extracting: user3.txt
extracting: user4.txt
extracting: user5.txt
extracting: user6.txtUncompress Several Files
unzip command can uncompress multiple file at once, use the following command to unzip files with the same file extension i.e .zip in the current directory.
unzip '*.zip'
Archive: users1.zip
extracting: user1.txt
extracting: user3.txt
extracting: user4.txt
extracting: user5.txt
extracting: user6.txt
Archive: contents.zip
inflating: home/thehero/Downloads/25 Days of Christmas Writeup (Blurred).pdf
inflating: home/thehero/Downloads/vagrant_2.2.14_x86_64.deb
inflating: home/thehero/Downloads/HOW TO CREATE USERS AND COMPUTER VIA GROUP POLICY.pdf
inflating: home/thehero/Downloads/xampp-linux-x64-7.4.11-0-installer.run
inflating: home/thehero/Downloads/LPIC-1 Linux Professional Institute Certification Study Guide [BooksRack.net].pdf
2 archives were successfully processed. Uncompress a File to a Different Directory
With unzip command, you uncompress zip files to a different directory instead of current directory. i.e unzip zipfile -d /path/to/directory
unzip users2.zip -d ~/Documents
Archive: users2.zip
inflating: /home/thehero/Documents/user1.txt
extracting: /home/thehero/Documents/user2.txt
inflating: /home/thehero/Documents/user3.txt
inflating: /home/thehero/Documents/user4.txt
inflating: /home/thehero/Documents/user5.txt
inflating: /home/thehero/Documents/user6.txtUncompress Files Quietly
To unzip files in a quite operation that is, do not display the output when the compression is taking place use unzip command with -q option i.e unzip -q zipfile
unzip -q users2.zip
In the above command, we get no output but if we check the our current directory files with ls -ah you find that users2.zip file has been unzipped.
ls -lh
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 42 Mar 29 00:27 user1.txt
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 35 Mar 29 13:19 user2.txt
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 115 Mar 29 00:28 user3.txt
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 150 Mar 29 00:28 user4.txt
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 203 Mar 29 00:29 user5.txt
-rw-rw-r-- 1 thehero thehero 203 Mar 29 10:33 user6.txtUncompress Files With Encryption
To uncompress a zip file protected with a password, use unzip command with -P option i.e unzip -P <password> zipfile.
unzip -P 1234 encrypted.zip
Archive: encrypted.zip
inflating: user1.txt
inflating: user3.txt
inflating: user4.txt
inflating: user5.txt
inflating: user6.txt Overwrite Files When Uncompressing
When uncompressing file in a directory where the same file already existed, you will be prompted to: overwrite the current file, skip unzipping of the current file, overwrite all files, skip unzipping of all files, or rename the file.
unzip users2.zip
Archive: users2.zip
replace user1.txt? [y]es, [n]o, [A]ll, [N]one, [r]ename: use -o option to overwrite all existing files without prompting. i.e unzip -o zipfile
unzip -o users2.zip
Archive: users2.zip
inflating: user1.txt
extracting: user2.txt
inflating: user3.txt
inflating: user4.txt
inflating: user5.txt
inflating: user6.txtUncompress Files Excluding Some Files
Use -x option when uncompressing a zip file if you want to exclude some files. i.e unzip zipfile -x file
unzip users2.zip -x user3.txt
Archive: users2.zip
inflating: user1.txt
extracting: user2.txt
inflating: user4.txt
inflating: user5.txt
inflating: user6.txtView Uncompressed File Contents
Use -l option with the unzip command, to list the content of a zip file without extracting it. i.e unzip -l zipfile
unzip -l users2.zip
Archive: users2.zip
Length Date Time Name
--------- ---------- ----- ----
42 2021-03-29 00:27 user1.txt
35 2021-03-29 13:19 user2.txt
115 2021-03-29 00:28 user3.txt
150 2021-03-29 00:28 user4.txt
203 2021-03-29 00:29 user5.txt
203 2021-03-29 10:33 user6.txt
--------- -------
748 6 filesThat’s all about our tutorial on how to Compress and Uncompress Files with zip Command in Linux, for more info about zip and unzip command feel free to check their man pages utilities respectively. Stay tuned for the next tutorial.
man zip
man unzip
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