Lab Activity
File Archiving and Compression
Learn the core archiving and compression commands you’ll use for backups, transfers and everyday Linux work.
Overview
In this lab you'll work with the archiving and compression tools that Linux administrators use all the time. You'll create and extract tar archives, compress and decompress files using gzip, bzip2 and xz, and work with zip files for cross-platform compatibility. You'll also compare compression sizes, practice selective extraction and learn how to build automated backup archives. These skills are directly mapped to LFCS objectives and form a core part of real system maintenance.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this lab, you'll be able to:
- Create and extract tar archives using common options like -c, -x, -v and -f.
- Compress and decompress files with gzip, bzip2 and xz.
- Compare compression sizes and understand the trade-offs between speed and ratio.
- Use zip and unzip for creating and extracting cross-platform archives.
- Exclude files during archiving and extract only specific paths from tar files.
- Append files to an existing tar archive.
- Automate archival tasks using command substitution and dated backups.
Key Concepts
- Archiving Basics: How tar groups files and directories without compressing them.
- Compression Tools: gzip, bzip2 and xz, each offering different performance and ratios.
- Zip Format: A widely compatible archive format used across Linux, macOS and Windows.
- Selective Operations: Extracting specific files, excluding patterns and appending to archives.
- Backup Logic: Creating timestamped archives for recurring or automated tasks.
- Practical CLI Workflow: Viewing archive contents, checking sizes and verifying integrity.
Why It Matters
- Directly aligns with LFCS exam tasks focused on archiving and compression.
- Essential for backups, packaging configs and preparing files for transfer.
- Helps reduce space usage and simplifies moving data between systems.
- Builds your command-line fluency with everyday Linux admin tools.
- Gives you the confidence to manage large directory structures safely and efficiently.