Web Tools

Tar Command Builder

Build tar commands visually with the right flags for create, extract, list, and append operations. Supports gzip, bzip2, xz, and Zstandard compression. Configure exclude patterns, strip components, directory changes, and permission preservation. Runs entirely in your browser — your data never leaves your machine.

tar archive compression linux cli command-builder

Published May 31, 2026

All interactive tools run entirely in your browser. Your data never leaves your device.

How It Works

Select an operation (create, extract, list, or append), choose a compression format, set the archive name, and configure options like verbose output, permissions preservation, and exclude patterns. The tool assembles the correct tar command with proper flag ordering and provides a plain-English explanation of each flag.

Features

4 operations: create, extract, list, append
5 compression types: none, gzip, bzip2, xz, Zstandard
Exclude patterns: filter out files/directories from the archive
Strip components: remove leading path segments on extraction
Directory change: -C flag for target directory
Flag explanation: plain-English description of each flag
5 examples: project backup, extract, list contents, extract to directory, Zstd archive
Private: all computation runs in your browser — no data transmitted

Use Cases

Building backup scripts with the correct tar flags
Extracting archives with unfamiliar compression formats
Teaching tar flags to developers who forget the syntax
Creating deployment archives with proper exclusions