How to Compress and Decompress Files Using Zip File Command Line 

Key highlights  

• Learn to use the zip file command line effectively on Linux, macOS and Windows. 

• Understand how to create zip file from folder command line using different utilities. 

• Discover commands for compressing and decompressing .tar, .gz, .bz2 and .rar archives. 

• Explore the syntax for viewing, extracting and combining compressed files. 

• Practice practical examples of file compression via SSH, PowerShell and Linux terminal. 

Managing files through the command line interface (CLI), including understanding the zip file format, is a core skill for developers, system administrators and advanced users across different operating systems. Whether you’re saving disk space, transferring large datasets or creating backups, file compression makes your workflow more efficient.  

In this guide, we’ll explore how to compress and decompress files using various CLI commands, including zip, gzip, bzip2, tar and rar. We’ll also explain the syntax, examples and useful options for each command. 

Understanding the basics and syntax  

What is file compression?  

File compression reduces file size by encoding data more efficiently, such as when you choose to zip folder . This helps save disk space and makes transferring or archiving files faster. Compression tools like zip, gzip and bzip2 are available across major operating systems, including Windows, macOS and Linux. 

A zip archive can bundle multiple files or directories into a single file, using formats such as .zip, .tar.gz, .bz2 or .rar. An archive file is a single file that contains one or more compressed files or directories, often created using commands like tar or gzip and can use formats like .tar, .tar.gz or .tgz. These formats maintain the directory structure, making extraction easier later. 

Basic syntax for compression and decompression commands  

The general syntax for compression and decompression is: 

command [options] [archive-name] [files/directories] 

In this syntax, ‘[files/directories]’ represents the input that you want to compress or decompress. 

To create a zip archive, use the following command: 

zip -r my_archive.zip my_folder/ 

Here, -r recursively includes all files and subdirectories. The zip file command line provides flexibility to compress and organize data efficiently. 

Compressing and decompressing files via SSH  

When managing remote servers, you can compress and decompress files via SSH. You can perform these operations remotely to streamline server management. This helps transfer archives faster and use less bandwidth. To ensure the integrity of a zip file before transferring, use the -t (test) option to check if the file is corrupted without extracting its contents. 

ssh username@server-ip 
zip -r backup.zip /var/www/html/ 

These commands can also be run from the command prompt on Windows systems or from a terminal on Linux/macOS. 

Then use Secure copy protocol (SCP) to copy the archive back to your local machine: 

scp username@server-ip:/var/www/html/backup.zip ~/Downloads/ 

The same process applies when decompressing using SSH. For instance: 

ssh username@server-ip 'unzip backup.zip -d /var/www/html/' 

Files can be extracted to a specific directory using the -d option, and the extracted files will maintain their original directory structure unless specified otherwise. 

When managing remote servers, you can compress and decompress files via SSH. If you host with Bluehost, SSH access is built in across Shared, VPS and Dedicated plans. You can enable it from your cPanel (under ‘Security’ → ‘SSH Access’) or, for VPS and Dedicated servers, directly through WHM.  

Bluehost provides secure port-22 connections and a built-in Web Console for SSH in certain plans, letting you manage files or run compression commands right from your dashboard. Shared hosting provides jailed SSH; VPS/Dedicated plans provide root-level control. 

Working with different file types  

Let’s look at the different file types and their commands: 

Task	Command	Works On
Zip folder	zip -r archive.zip folder/	Linux/macOS
Unzip file	unzip archive.zip	Linux/macOS
Gzip file	gzip file.txt	Linux/macOS
Tar + gzip	tar -czf archive.tar.gz folder/	Linux/macOS
PowerShell zip	Compress-Archive -Path folder -DestinationPath archive.zip	Windows

1. Using the zip and unzip commands  

Here are the different commands using zip and unzip: 

Compressing files and directories 

To create zip file command line: 

zip -r archive.zip directory_name/ 

This command creates a .zip archive containing the entire folder and its contents. It’s ideal for backing up websites or project files. You can automate this process on Windows by placing the command in a bat file, allowing you to quickly zip folders with a double-click. 

 Alternatively, you can use VBS (VBScript) scripts to automate ZIP file creation and compression tasks on Windows. 

Decompressing files 

To extract zip file Linux command line: Use the unzip command followed by the file name. If you want to extract all files directly into the destination directory without preserving the internal folder structure, use the -j (junk paths) option. 

unzip archive.zip 

This command will unzip the file named archive.zip in your current directory, extracting its contents. To prevent overwriting files that already exist, use the -n option during extraction. 

For Ubuntu users, install the unzip utility if it’s missing: 

sudo apt install unzip 

Then you can use the ubuntu unzip zip file command line to extract files efficiently. 

Viewing contents without extraction 

unzip -l archive.zip 

This command lists all files inside the zip archive without decompressing them. Use it to view or list the contents of a ZIP file before extraction. The -l option can be used to achieve this, providing a detailed list of the archive’s contents. 

Useful zip options and examples 

• -P password: Create a password protected archive. 

• -x filename: Exclude specific files. 

• -d path: Extract files to a specific directory. 

• -r: Recursively zip all the files inside directories. 

• -z: Add a comment to the ZIP archive for documentation or clarity. 

Example: 

zip -r project.zip project_folder/ -x "*.log" 

This excludes log files from being added to the archive. The resulting archive will contain only the zipped files you specified, excluding any log files. 

To add a comment to your ZIP archive, use the -z option: 

zip -r project.zip project_folder/ -z 

This will prompt you to enter a comment, which can help document the contents or purpose of the archive. 

For Windows 10 and 11 users, you can also use the Windows zip file command line; the tar command can be used to compress files into ZIP format using the -a option, providing a native solution for handling ZIP files. 

Compress-Archive -Path C:\folder -DestinationPath C:\archive.zip 

This PowerShell command is a modern powershell compress archive equivalent of the zip command. 

2. Using gzip and gunzip commands  

Here are the different commands using gzip and gunzip: 

Compressing files 

gzip filename.txt 

This replaces filename.txt with a smaller filename.txt.gz file. 

To compress a file in Linux command line, you can also specify multiple files: 

gzip file1.txt file2.txt file3.txt 

Decompressing files 

gunzip filename.txt.gz 

This restores the original file – a simple way to decompress file Linux command line. 

Viewing contents without decompression 

zcat filename.txt.gz 

Displays the content of compressed files without extraction. 

Setting compression levels 

gzip -1 file.txt   # Fastest compression 
gzip -9 file.txt   # Best compression 

Choose a level based on your needs, faster compression or smaller file size. 

Concatenating multiple compressed files 

cat file1.gz file2.gz > combined.gz 

Combines several compressed files into a single archive. 

3. Using bzip2 and bunzip2 commands  

Here are the different commands using bzip2 and bunzip2: 

Compressing and decompressing files 

bzip2 filename.txt 
bunzip2 filename.txt.bz2 

These commands compress and decompress files using the bzip2 algorithm, known for its higher compression ratio compared to gzip. 

Comparing compression with gzip 

While bzip2 achieves better compression, it’s slower than gzip. Use bzip2 when minimizing file size is more critical than speed. 

Useful command line options 

• -k: Keep existing files after compression. 

• -v: Show detailed progress. 

• -d: Decompress files explicitly. 

Example: 

bzip2 -kv largefile.txt 

This command compresses while keeping the original single file. 

4. Using tar for archiving and compression  

Here are the different commands using tar: 

Creating .tar archives 

tar -cvf archive.tar directory/ 

This bundles files without compression, creating a tar file. 

Extracting .tar archives 

tar -xvf archive.tar 

The command extracts the contents to the current directory. 

Working with .tar.gz files 

tar -czvf archive.tar.gz folder/ 

To extract: 

tar -xzvf archive.tar.gz 

Working with .tar.bz2 files 

tar -cjvf archive.tar.bz2 folder/ 

To extract: 

tar -xjvf archive.tar.bz2 

Common tar options and shortcuts 

• -c: Create archive 

• -x: Extract files 

• -v: Show progress 

• -f: Specify file name 

Use tar to back up program files or package existing files before deployment. The tar command is widely used for backups and software packaging across operating systems.  

5. Working with rar and unrar files  

Here are the different commands using rar and unrar: 

Installing rar/unrar 

For Linux or Ubuntu: 

sudo apt install rar unrar 

Compressing files 

rar a archive.rar folder/ 

Creates a .rar archive. 

Decompressing files 

unrar x archive.rar 

This extracts and maintains the directory structure. 

Exploring useful command line options 

• x: Extract with path 

• e: Extract without preserving directories 

• t: Test archive integrity 

Specifying output locations 

unrar x archive.rar /path/to/output/ 

This extracts files to a specified location. 

Preserving permissions and directory structures 

RAR automatically preserves file permissions when extracting unless manually overridden. 

Combining commands for efficiency 

You can combine commands to compress and back up files quickly: 

tar -czf backup.tar.gz /home/user && gzip backup.tar.gz 

This creates a compressed .tar.gz backup in one go. 

Learning more about commands  

There are many more helpful commands that will surely come in handy, let’s look at them in detail. 

Using the man command 

To view command documentation: 

man zip 
man tar 

This displays the manual page for each command with syntax, options and usage examples. 

Checking help options (-h, –help) 

zip --help 
unzip -h 
tar --help 

Using help flags shows quick references and command examples for everyday use. 

Final thoughts  

Learning how to use the zip file command line on systems like Windows helps you manage data more efficiently. Whether you’re using a Windows machine, macOS terminal or Linux system, understanding compression saves time and space. You can create a zip file from folder command line, extract archives or automate backup processes using shell scripts. 

Mastering commands like zip, gzip, bzip2, tar and rar allow you to manage compressed files confidently. From reducing file size to transferring projects between servers, CLI compression remains a must-have skill across all operating systems.  

Looking for hosting with secure SSH built in? We at Bluehost include SSH access by default- ideal for safe, scripted backups and restores. Explore Bluehost web hosting plans today. 

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