Linux gzip Guide

Linux gzip Guide

Complete beginner-friendly guide to gzip on Linux, covering Arch Linux, CachyOS, and other distributions including file compression, decompression, and archive management.

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Table of Contents

1. Understanding gzip
2. gzip Basics
3. Compressing Files
4. Decompressing Files
5. Troubleshooting

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Understanding gzip

What is gzip?

gzip compresses files.

Uses:

• Compress files: Reduce file size
• Archive files: Create compressed archives
• Space saving: Save disk space
• File transfer: Compress for transfer

Why it matters:

• Space efficiency: Save disk space
• Transfer speed: Faster file transfer
• Archive format: Common compression format

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gzip Basics

Compress File

Basic usage:

# Compress file
gzip file.txt

# Creates: file.txt.gz
# Original file is removed

Keep Original

Preserve original:

# Keep original file
gzip -k file.txt

# -k = keep (keeps original)

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Compressing Files

Compression Level

Set level:

# Compression level (1-9)
gzip -9 file.txt

# -9 = maximum compression
# -1 = fastest compression

Multiple Files

Compress several:

# Multiple files
gzip file1.txt file2.txt file3.txt

# All compressed

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Decompressing Files

Decompress

Extract:

# Decompress
gunzip file.txt.gz

# Or
gzip -d file.txt.gz

# Creates: file.txt

List Contents

View info:

# List info
gzip -l file.txt.gz

# Shows compression info

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Troubleshooting

gzip Not Found

Check installation:

# Check gzip
which gzip

# Usually in gzip package
# Install if missing
sudo pacman -S gzip

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Summary

This guide covered gzip usage, file compression, and decompression for Arch Linux, CachyOS, and other distributions.

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Next Steps

• bzip2 Guide - bzip2 compression
• xz Guide - xz compression
• Compression Tools - Compression overview
• gzip Documentation: man gzip

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This guide covers Arch Linux, CachyOS, and other Linux distributions. For distribution-specific details, refer to your distribution's documentation.