Last week, I mainly wrote an article on common file compression and decompression commands. If needed, you can look up the historical articles.
This article mainly summarizes a comparison of the following 10 commonly used compression/decompression commands, covering core features, applicable scenarios, and performance differences to help you quickly choose the best tool!
1. Core Features Comparison Table
| Command | Format | Compression Algorithm | Compression Ratio | Speed | Cross-Platform | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
<span>tar</span> |
.tar | None (only archiving) | – | Fast | High | Requires other tools for compression |
<span>gzip</span> |
.gz | DEFLATE | Low | Fast | High | Fast speed, low resource usage |
<span>gunzip</span> |
.gz | – | – | Fast | High | <span>gzip</span>‘s decompression tool |
<span>bzip2</span> |
.bz2 | Burrows-Wheeler | Medium | Medium | High | Balances compression ratio and speed |
<span>bunzip2</span> |
.bz2 | – | – | Medium | High | <span>bzip2</span>‘s decompression tool |
<span>xz</span> |
.xz | LZMA2 | High | Slow | High | Highest compression ratio, but slow and high memory usage |
<span>unxz</span> |
.xz | – | – | Slow | High | <span>xz</span>‘s decompression tool |
<span>zip</span> |
.zip | DEFLATE | Low | Fast | Very High | Preferred for cross-platform, supports encryption/volumes |
<span>unzip</span> |
.zip | – | – | Fast | Very High | <span>zip</span>‘s decompression tool |
<span>7z</span> |
.7z | LZMA2 | Very High | Very Slow | Medium | Compression ratio champion, supports multiple formats/encryption |
2. Performance and Scenario Recommendations
Compression Ratio Priority (High → Low)
<span>xz</span>/<span>7z</span>(LZMA2 algorithm)<span>bzip2</span><span>gzip</span>/<span>zip</span>
Speed Priority (Fast → Slow)
<span>gzip</span>/<span>zip</span><span>bzip2</span><span>xz</span>/<span>7z</span>
Scenario Recommendations
- Fast Compression/Decompression:
<span>gzip</span>(.gz) or<span>zip</span>(cross-platform compatible) - High Compression Ratio Requirement:
<span>xz</span>(.xz) or<span>7z</span>(.7z) - Balance Compression Ratio and Speed:
<span>bzip2</span>(.bz2) - Archiving Multiple Files:
<span>tar + Compression Tool</span>(e.g.,<span>tar -czf</span>→ .tar.gz) - Encryption/Volume Transfer:
<span>zip</span>or<span>7z</span>
3. Key Differences Explained
<span>tar</span> vs Other Tools
<span>tar</span>only archives without compression, requires a compression tool (e.g.,<span>tar -zcvf</span>=<span>gzip</span>compression, generating .tar.gz).- Other tools (e.g.,
<span>zip</span>/<span>7z</span>) support both packaging and compression, no extra steps required.
<span>xz</span> vs <span>7z</span>
<span>xz</span>focuses on a single format (.xz), with a compression ratio close to<span>7z</span>, but simpler functionality.<span>7z</span>supports multiple formats (.7z, .zip, .tar, etc.), providing advanced features like encryption, volumes, and self-extraction.
<span>zip</span> vs <span>gzip</span>
<span>zip</span>has the best cross-platform compatibility (default support in Windows), supports directory compression.<span>gzip</span>is often used with<span>tar</span>(generating .tar.gz), suitable for Linux environments.
4. Common Combination Command Examples
# 1. Package and compress to .tar.gz
tar -czvf archive.tar.gz /path/to/dir
# 2. Decompress .tar.xz
tar -xJvf archive.tar.xz
# 3. Encrypt and compress to .zip
zip -e secret.zip file.txt
# 4. Maximum compression to .7z
7z a -t7z -m0=lzma2 -mx=9 -mhe=on archive.7z /data
5. Summary
- Daily Fast Compression →
<span>gzip</span>or<span>zip</span> - Server Log Compression →
<span>xz</span>(saves storage) - Cross-Platform Sharing →
<span>zip</span> - Sensitive Data Encryption →
<span>7z</span>or<span>zip -e</span> - Handling Very Large Files →
<span>tar + xz</span>(volumes optional)
Mastering the features of these tools will help you easily meet various file storage and transfer needs! 🚀