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Gzip Command in Linux - GeeksforGeeks

Last Updated : 07 Mar, 2025

The gzip command in Linux is a vital tool for compressing files and reducing their sizes. It employs the DEFLATE compression algorithm , which makes it highly effective for compressing large files or preparing data for transfer over networks.

Whether you’re a Linux system administrator or a beginner, understanding how to use gzip for file compression is essential. It plays a critical role in managing disk space, creating backups, and facilitating efficient file transfers across networks

Gzip, short for GNU Zip, is a command-line compression tool commonly found on Linux systems. It utilizes the DEFLATE compression algorithm to reduce the size of files, making them more manageable for storage and transmission.

Gzip

Zip

Compression Algorithm

Uses the DEFLATE algorithm.

Uses various compression algorithms, including DEFLATE, LZ77, and others.

File Format

Typically appends ".gz" to compressed files.

Uses ".zip" extension for compressed archives.

Archiving Approach

Common practice is to use tarball (.tar) before compression.

Compresses individual files and then adds them to the archive.

File Extraction

Requires decompression of the entire file before extracting specific files.

Allows direct extraction of individual files without full decompression.

Compression Efficiency

Generally offers better compression, especially for a large number of files.

Compression efficiency may vary, and it might be less effective than Gzip for certain scenarios.

Extraction Time

Takes longer to extract a specific file from a compressed archive.

Allows quicker extraction of individual files from the archive.

Ideal Use Case

Well-suited for compressing a large number of files into a single archive.

Suitable for compressing and archiving individual files with a focus on easy extraction.

Redundancy Utilization

Efficiently utilizes redundancy in files to reduce overall file size.

May result in larger archive sizes, especially when compressing identical files multiple times.

The basic syntax of the gzip command is straightforward:

 gzip [Options] [filenames]

This syntax allows users to compress a specified file. Now, let's delve into some practical examples to illustrate the usage of the gzip command.

Options

Description

-f

Forcefully compress a file even if a compressed version with the same name already exists.

-k

Compress a file and keep the original file, resulting in both the compressed and original files.

-L

Display the gzip license for the software.

-r

Recursively compress all files in a folder and its subfolders.

-v

Display the name and percentage reduction for each file compressed or decompressed.

-d

Decompress a file that was compressed using the gzip command.

To compress a file named "mydoc.txt," the following command can be used:

Example:

gzip mydoc.txt

This command will create a compressed file of mydoc.txt named as mydoc.txt.gz and delete the original file.

The basic syntax of the gzip command for decompressing a file is as follows:

gzip -d filename.gz

This command decompresses the specified gzip file, leaving the original uncompressed file intact.

Here are some real-world examples that demonstrate the versatility of the gzip command for different tasks:

By default, gzip removes the original file after compression. To retain the original file, use the -k option:

gzip -k example.txt

This command compresses "example.txt" and keeps the original file intact.

To obtain more details during compression or decompression, the -v option is employed:

gzip -v example.txt

Verbose mode provides information such as file sizes and progress during the compression or decompression process.

In cases where the compressed file already exists, the -f option forcefully overwrites it:

gzip -f example.txt

This command compresses "example.txt" and overwrites any existing "example.txt.gz" file

Gzip can compress multiple files simultaneously by providing their names as arguments:

gzip file1.txt file2.txt file3.txt

This command compresses "file1.txt," "file2.txt," and "file3.txt" individually.

To compress all files in a directory and its subdirectories, the find command can be combined with gzip:

find /path/to/directory -type f -exec gzip {} \;

This command recursively compresses all files in the specified directory.

The gzip command in Linux is a versatile tool for compressing and decompressing files. By learning how to use gzip and its various options, you can easily manage file sizes, create compressed archives, and optimize storage on your Linux system. Mastering the gzip command will make file management more efficient and help you save disk space, especially when dealing with large files or backups.

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