How to Zip Files in Ubuntu Terminal

If you want to zip files using the command line in Ubuntu, it’s not as complicated as it might seem! Here’s a simple breakdown:

Step 1: Open Terminal

You can do this by searching for “Terminal” in your applications.

Step 2: Navigate to the Directory (Optional)

You don’t have to navigate to the directory where your files are located, but it makes things easier. Use the cd command:

cd /path/to/your/directory

Step 3: Zipping Files

To zip files, use the zip command followed by the name you want for your zip file and then the files you want to include:

zip my_archive.zip file1.txt file2.txt file3.txt

You can name your zip file anything you like, as long as it ends with .zip.

Step 4: Zipping Multiple Files

To zip multiple files at once, just list them after the zip file name, separated by spaces. You can use wildcards like * too:

zip my_archive.zip *.txt

This example would zip all .txt files in the current directory.

Step 5: Zipping Folders

If you want to zip an entire folder, you can do it like this:

zip -r my_folder_archive.zip my_folder

The -r flag tells it to include all files and subdirectories in that folder!

Tips for Keeping Archives Tidy

To avoid making your zip file too big:

• Only include files you truly need.
• Use suitable compression formats if the standard zip isn’t sufficient (like tar.gz).

Step 6: Unzipping Files

If you need to unzip later, it’s simple too! Use:

unzip my_archive.zip

This will extract all files in the current directory. Easy peasy!

Final Note

Don’t stress about it! Once you get the hang of these commands, it’ll feel like second nature.