TAR File

Category: Data Files

What is a TAR file?

Developed by Jean-loup Gailly, the Tar, a Unix-based utility program uses the TAR extension. The format is useful in packaging a group of files together to send them or for keeping them as a backup. The extension was introduced in 1979 to write data to tape drives, a type of magnetic drives back in the day useful in storing information.
A typical TAR file contains multiple files in various formats that are uncompressed and metadata containing information about each of them. These are them compressed using the GNU Zip compression and stored with GZ extension. In the present day, Linux and Unix systems use the TAR format for saving files together.

How to Open TAR Files

File Viewer Plus

Smith Micro StuffIt Deluxe for Windows

WinZip

RARLAB WinRAR

PeaZip

E-merge WinAce

ESTSoft AlZip

7-Zip

Zipeg

Apple Archive Utility

Smith Micro StuffIt Deluxe Mac

Incredible Bee Archiver

The Unarchiver

GNU Tar

Zipeg

Keka

GNU Tar

How to Make TAR Files

Below are some software programs that can open TAR files. Download one to open your file now.