What is .tar?

.tar (Tape Archive) is a classic Unix archive format designed to bundle multiple files and directories into a single container. By itself, TAR does not compress data; it simply concatenates files with metadata, and is frequently combined with compressors like gzip (.tar.gz), bzip2 (.tar.bz2), or xz (.tar.xz).

This quick guide explains when to use .tar files, how to open them on any device, and how to share them instantly with FileXhost.

When to use .tar files

You are working in Unix-like environments (Linux, macOS, BSD) and need to package directories.
You want to preserve file permissions, ownership, and timestamps when archiving.
You are distributing source code, backups, or packages in a way that fits standard Unix tooling.
You plan to apply separate compression (gzip, bzip2, xz) on top of the archive.

How to open .tar files

On Linux and macOS, .tar files are supported natively by the 'tar' command and many graphical archive tools. On Windows, tools like 7-Zip, WinRAR, PeaZip, and built-in Windows 10+ features can extract TAR archives. Browsers download .tar files rather than opening them directly. You can upload .tar files to FileXhost to share them as a single downloadable archive.

Algorithm details

TAR stores files sequentially, each with a fixed-size header describing metadata such as name, size, permissions, timestamps, and ownership. File contents follow immediately after the header, padded to 512-byte blocks. The format itself performs no compression; instead, compressed variants like .tar.gz pipe the TAR stream through algorithms such as DEFLATE (gzip), bzip2, or LZMA/XZ.

Browser & platform support

Desktop: Treated purely as a downloadable file; extraction happens via OS tools or third-party archivers.
Mobile: Requires dedicated archive apps; mobile browsers do not unpack TAR directly.
OS: First-class support on Unix-like systems via the 'tar' utility; Windows support is available through built-in tools in recent versions and third-party archivers.

Format comparison

Feature	Details
Compression	TAR alone does not compress; compression is provided by external tools like gzip or xz.
Metadata Preservation	Excellent at preserving permissions, ownership, and timestamps, which ZIP may not handle as consistently across platforms.
Use Case	Standard choice for source distributions, backups, and container images in Unix ecosystems.
Portability	Highly portable in server and developer tooling; less familiar to non-technical Windows users.

How to create tar files

CLI: 'tar -cf archive.tar directory/' to create archives on Unix-like systems.
GUI Archivers: Tools like 7-Zip, Keka, PeaZip, and others can create TAR files.
Build/CI Pipelines: Many packaging and deployment tools output tarballs (e.g., .tar, .tar.gz) for releases.
Language Tooling: Package managers like npm, RubyGems, and others use TAR-based formats under the hood.

How to convert tar files

FileXhost: Upload existing TAR archives to distribute them as single download links.
Desktop: Use 7-Zip, WinRAR, or PeaZip to convert between TAR, ZIP, 7Z, and other formats.
CLI: Combine 'tar' with gzip, bzip2, or xz (e.g., 'tar -czf archive.tar.gz dir/').
Container/DevOps Tools: Docker and other systems use TAR internally for image layers and exports.

Advantages & disadvantages

Advantages

Simple, well-understood, and ubiquitous in Unix environments
Preserves permissions and filesystem metadata reliably
Works seamlessly with external compressors (gzip, bzip2, xz)
Ideal for packaging directory trees and source code

Disadvantages

No built-in compression; plain .tar files may be large
Less familiar to non-technical Windows users compared to ZIP
Streaming nature can make random access or partial extraction less convenient without indexes

Tools & software

CLI

tar, bsdtar, GNU tar, BusyBox tar

Archivers

7-Zip, WinRAR, PeaZip, Keka, The Unarchiver

DevOps/Packaging

Docker, Podman, npm, yarn, many language-specific packagers

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between .tar and .tar.gz?

.tar is just the archive container with no compression. .tar.gz (or .tgz) is a TAR archive that has been compressed with gzip, significantly reducing its size. The same applies to .tar.bz2 or .tar.xz, which use different compressors.

Should I use TAR or ZIP?

For Unix-centric workflows, scripting, and preserving permissions, TAR (often with gzip) is preferred. For general sharing with non-technical users, ZIP is usually easier because it has native support on all major desktop operating systems.

Can I open TAR files on Windows?

Yes. Modern versions of Windows include basic TAR support, and tools like 7-Zip, WinRAR, and PeaZip handle TAR and compressed tarballs (.tar.gz, .tar.bz2, .tar.xz) very well.

Does TAR support encryption?

The classic TAR format does not provide encryption. If you need encryption, you can compress the TAR file using tools or formats that support encryption (such as 7Z, ZIP with AES, or external tools like OpenSSL).

Technical specs

File type: Archive
Extension: .tar
MIME type: application/x-tar
Compression: Uncompressed
Max file size on FileXhost: Up to 25 MB per file on the free plan and up to 1 GB on Pro FileXhost accounts.

Upload your .tar file to FileXhost to get a clean, shareable URL in seconds. View the file in a modern browser, protect access with optional settings, and let others download it without any confusing ads or cluttered file pages.

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