Linux Terminal Command: gzip

The gzip command is an essential tool in File Manipulation & Viewing. In this tutorial, we will explore what gzip does, look at everyday examples, and cover advanced options to supercharge your command-line workflow.

Concept & Explanation

The gzip command compresses files using the Lempel-Ziv coding (LZ77). By default, it replaces the original file with a compressed version ending in .gz.

Common Options & Syntax

gzip [options] [arguments]

Here are the most common flags used with gzip:

• Simple Usage: Basic default commands.
• Detailed View: Shows diagnostic information.
• Advanced Actions: Can chain parameters for scripting.

1. Interactive Example (Simple)

Here is how most people run the command:

# Example
gzip logs.txt

What it does: Compresses ’logs.txt’ into ’logs.txt.gz’ and deletes the original file.

2. Power-User Example (Advanced)

For scripting and advanced diagnostics, use this configuration:

# Advanced
gzip -dk9 backup.sql

What it does: Decompresses (-d) ‘backup.sql.gz’, preserves the original compressed file (-k), and uses maximum compression level 9 (-9).

⚙️ Warning & Common Pitfalls

[!WARNING] gzip can only compress individual files. It cannot bundle multiple folders. Use tar to archive files first, then compress it.

🔗 Related Commands

Here are some related posts on cli_tty1 you might want to check out:

• tar : Tape archiver utility.