TAR file format: what it is and how to use it

TAR bundles files into one archive without compression, the Unix packaging format that pairs with gzip or zstd to move file trees around. Learn when to use it and what to choose instead.

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What is a TAR file?

A .tar file is a bundle of files in the Tape Archive format, the 1979 Unix tool that concatenates files with their metadata (permissions, ownership, structure) into one stream. It compresses nothing by itself; that is what .tar.gz, .tar.bz2 and .tar.zst add on top. Its job is packaging, not shrinking, and it does that job with Unix permissions intact.

When should you use TAR?

  • Unix file collections: source code, backups, directory trees with permissions preserved.
  • Pipelines: tar streams straight through other tools to create, pipe and extract.
  • Docker and software distribution: the packaging layer under most container images.

When is another format a better fit?

For compressed sharing use ZIP or 7z, Windows-friendly and self-contained. For single-stream compression pair it: .tar.zst is the modern Unix bundle. Bare .tar is rarely the final form.

The short version: TAR is the Unix box files go into. Combine it with a compressor, and it is how Linux moves trees of files around.

How to open a TAR file

On Windows

Double-click the file, or open it with 7-Zip.

On macOS

PeaZip opens TAR files on macOS.

In your browser

Open TAR files right in a browser tab or with the dexrr viewer. No install, no upload.

Also opens in

  • tar (Unix)
  • 7-Zip
  • WinRAR
  • PeaZip

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TAR technical details

Full name
Tape Archive
Extensions
.tar
MIME type
application/x-tar
Magic bytes
75 73 74 61 72 (ustar, offset 257)
Compression
None (uncompressed)
Developer
POSIX / Unix

TAR questions, answered

How do I open a .tar file?

tar -xf on any Unix system, 7-Zip and most archive tools extract it. dexrr lists and extracts tar archives directly in your browser.

Can I convert TAR files online?

Yes, dexrr repacks tar archives locally in your browser to zip for Windows users.

Is TAR better than ZIP?

For Unix work, yes, it preserves permissions and streams cleanly. For sharing with non-technical users, ZIP is friendlier. Different worlds.

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

.tar is the uncompressed bundle; .tar.gz runs it through gzip. Always two steps in one: tar packs, gzip shrinks.

Is the TAR format outdated?

It is 45 years old and entirely current, still the backbone of Unix packaging, Docker layers and source distribution.