Reference

TGZ (.tar.gz)

A TGZ (.tgz or .tar.gz) is a tar archive that has been compressed with gzip. The tar step bundles many files and folders into one, and gzip shrinks the result — the standard way to package software and backups on Unix and Linux.

Files & formatsGeneral

TGZ (.tar.gz)

Also known as: TGZ file, .tar.gz, tarball gzip, gzipped tar

A tar archive compressed with gzip
Standard software/backup package on Unix and Linux
Extract with tar -xzf or an archive manager

Two steps in one file

TGZ combines two tools. First tar packs a whole directory tree — files, folders, permissions — into a single .tar archive. Then gzip compresses that archive to save space, producing .tar.gz (often shortened to .tgz).

Tar alone does not compress; gzip alone handles only one file. Together they give you a compressed, multi-file package.

Opening TGZ files

On Linux and macOS, `tar -xzf file.tgz` extracts it in one command. Archive managers like 7-Zip and The Unarchiver also open TGZ files, usually in two stages (un-gzip, then un-tar).

Related terms

Keep reading the reference.

Files & formatsTARTAR (tape archive) bundles many files and folders into one .tar file but does not compress them on its own. It is almost always paired with a compressor, producing combinations like tar.gz (gzip) or tar.xz.General Files & formatsGZIP (.gz)GZIP is a fast, single-file compressor that produces .gz files. It compresses one file at a time, so to pack a whole folder it is combined with TAR into a tar.gz. It is the default compression behind much of the web and Unix tooling.General Files & formatsArchive fileAn archive file bundles many files and folders into one container — for example a ZIP, RAR, or 7z. Most archives also compress their contents to save space, but some (like plain TAR) only bundle without shrinking anything.General