Linux gzip and gunzip commands

gzip:

gzip compresses files in linux and unix.

If given a file as an argument, gzip compresses the file, adds a ".gz" suffix, and deletes the original file. With no arguments, gzip compresses the standard input and writes the compressed file to standard output( use ">" to redirect to a file).

Examples:Compress the file named vallu.txt. Creates vallu.gz and deletes vallu.txt.

$ gzip vallu.txt

Compress the file called vallu.txt. The standard output (which is the compressed file) is redirected by the shell to vallu.gz. Keeps vallu.txt.

$ gzip -c vallu.txt > vallu.gz

note: -c option Write compressed file to stdout and keeps the original file.

Some useful options are:

-1  Performance: Use fast compression (somewhat bigger result)

-9  Performance: Use best compression (somewhat slower)

gunzip:

gunzip uncompresses a file that was compressed with "gzip".

Examples:Uncompress the file named vallu.gz and extracts the vallu.txt in that compressed file and deletes vallu.gz.

$ gunzip vallu.gz

Uncompress the file named vallu.gz and extracts the vallu.txt in that compressed file and keeps the vallu.gz.

$ gunzip -c vallu.gz > vallu.txt

zcat:

zcat is also same as gunzip -c it is basically used to display the content of compressed fule.

Examples:

$zcat vallu.gz