> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://notes.kodekloud.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Archive compress unpack and uncompress files using star
> This guide demonstrates how to archive, compress, pack, and unpack files using the "star" utility on Linux systems.
This guide demonstrates how to archive, compress, pack, and unpack files using the "star" utility. Star functions similarly to the widely used tar tool on Linux, but with a distinct syntax for its arguments.
## Basic Syntax and Usage
To create an archive, such as "archive2.star" located in your home directory containing a file called "file1", use the following command:
```bash theme={null}
$ star -cv file=/home/aaron/archive2.star file1
```
* The flags `c` (create), `t` (list), and `x` (extract) are combined with a dash (e.g., `-cv`).
* Specify the archive location with `file=` followed by the desired path.
* After the archive location, list the files or directories to be included.
### Listing Archive Contents
To view the contents of an archive with a verbose output, use the list flag (`t`) along with the archive path:
```bash theme={null}
$ star -tv file=/home/aaron/archive2.star
```
### Extracting Archives
To extract the contents of `archive2.star` into the current directory, execute:
```bash theme={null}
$ star -xv file=/home/aaron/archive2.star
```
If you wish to extract the archive into a different directory (for example, `/tmp`), include a capital `C` flag followed by the target directory:
```bash theme={null}
$ star -xv -C /tmp file=/home/aaron/archive2.star
```
## Compression Options
Star can compress and decompress archives just like tar. Here are some common usage examples:
### Creating a Gzipped Archive
To create an archive compressed with gzip, use the `-z` option:
```bash theme={null}
$ star -cv -z file=/home/aaron/archive2.star.gz file1
```
### Creating a Bzip2 Compressed Archive
To archive and compress using bzip2 compression, use the `-bz` option:
```bash theme={null}
$ star -cv -bz file=/home/aaron/archive2.star.bz2 file1
```
### Unpacking Compressed Archives
Star automatically detects the compression type during extraction. For example, to extract a gzip-compressed archive:
```bash theme={null}
$ star -xv file=/home/aaron/archive2.star.gz
```
The same process applies to bzip2-compressed archives; simply supply the filename when using the extract option.
Remember: Star’s syntax is similar to tar, with the key difference being the order of arguments. Always specify the archive location using `file=` before listing the files or directories.
By following these examples, you can efficiently manage files and directories with star on Linux systems. Whether you're creating archives, compressing them using gzip or bzip2, or extracting files to a specified directory, star provides a flexible and straightforward approach.
For further information on Linux archiving tools, consider checking out the [Linux Documentation](https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/) or [tar Manual Page](https://www.gnu.org/software/tar/).