Unzip is a function that is used to decompress a zip(compressed) file. To extract all the files from the zip file into the current directory of the zip file unzip command is used in Linux. In this article, I will demonstrate the syntax, options, and practical applications of the unzip command in Linux.
A. Description
The Unzip command extracts all the files & directories from the zip file in the current directory. This command also displays the files & directories it is extracting from the zip file in the terminal.
B. Syntax
The syntax for the unzip command is pretty simple. Firstly, you have to write the unzip command and then after using a space, you will write the name of the zip file you want to extract. You need to write the name of the file with the extension.
unzip [-OPTION]... [FILE]C. Options
Many useful options are available for the unzip command. I have listed some of the most used ones here. However, if you want to know more about options for the unzip command you can always check the man page for the unzip command.
man unzipUseful Options
- -d, Extracts files to the specified directory.
- -l, Lists contents of zip(compressed) file.
- -t, Checks if the zip file is a valid zip archive or not.
- -v, Displays detailed info of each file inside a zip archive.
- -x, Extracts only mentioned files.
Practical Examples of the “unzip” Command in Linux
The unzip command in Linux is an easy-to-use command which will extract the contents of the zip archive. There are so many practical applications of this command. Here you will get to know some useful examples of the unzip command.
Example 1: Extract Files Using the “unzip” Command in Linux
To decompress a file named MyZip.zip, I am using the unzip command. To do the same you can follow the procedure below:
Steps to Follow >
➊ At first, open the Ubuntu Terminal.
➋ Type the following command in the command prompt:
unzip MyZip.zip➌ Now, press the ENTER button.
❹Type the following command in the command prompt:
lsThis will display the list of extracted files here.
➎ Finally, press the ENTER button.
Output >
In the image below, you can see all the files inside the zip file are extracted.
Example 2: Extract Files to a Specified Directory Using the “unzip” Command in Linux
Using the unzip command along with option -d, I am extracting all the files of the zip file to the Random_Directory folder. To do the same you can follow the procedure below:
Steps to Follow >
➊ At first, open the Ubuntu Terminal.
➋ Type the following command in the command prompt:
unzip MyZip.zip -d /home/sylvie/Desktop/Random_Directory➌ Now, press the ENTER button.
❹Type the following command in the command prompt:
ls Random_Directory/This will show you the list of extracted files here.
➎ Finally, press the ENTER button.
Output >
As you can see in the image below, all the files inside the zip file are extracted to the specified folder.
Example 3: Display the List of Contents of a Zip File Using the “unzip” Command in Linux
To display the list of all the contents of the zip file to the terminal I am using the unzip command with option -l. To do the same you can follow the procedure below:
Steps to Follow >
➊ At first, open the Ubuntu Terminal.
➋ Type the following command in the command prompt:
unzip -l MyZip.zip➌ Now, press the ENTER button.
Output >
So, here the output shows the contents inside the zip file.
Example 4: Extract Only the Mentioned Contents of the Zip File
You can use the unzip command with option -x to extract only the contents of the zip file you want to be extracted.
Steps to Follow >
➊ At first, open the Ubuntu Terminal.
➋ Type the following command in the command prompt:
unzip -x MyZip.zip 1.txt 2.txt➌ Now, press the ENTER button.
❹Type the following command in the command prompt:
lsThis will display the list of extracted files here.
➎ Finally, press the ENTER button.
Output >
In the following image, you can see only the mentioned contents of the zip file are extracted.
Example 5: Display Detailed Info on Each Content of the Zip File
To display detailed information about the contents of the zip file I am using the unzip command with option -v. To do the same you can follow the procedure below:
Steps to Follow >
➊ At first, open the Ubuntu Terminal.
➋ Type the following command in the command prompt:
unzip -v MyZip.zip➌ Now, press the ENTER button.
Output >
As you can see, the output is displaying the details of all the contents of the zip file.
Example 6: Check Whether the Zip File is a Valid Zip Archive or Not
To check whether the zip file is a valid archive or not, I am using the unzip command with the option -t. To do the same you can follow the procedure below:
Steps to Follow >
➊ At first, open the Ubuntu Terminal.
➋ Type the following command in the command prompt:
unzip -t MyZip.zip➌ Now, press the ENTER button.
Output >
As you can see in the following image, the output tests each zip file’s contents to see whether the zip file is a valid archive or not.
Example 7: Extract Multiple Zip Files Together Using the “unzip” Command in Linux
To extract multiple zip files together you can use the unzip command with a regular expression (“ * ”,“ ? ”,“ . ”,“ ^ ”). Here I am using “ * ” to unzip the contents of two different zip files.
Steps to Follow >
➊ At first, open the Ubuntu Terminal.
➋ Type the following command in the command prompt:
unzip "*.zip"➌ Now, press the ENTER button.
Output >
In the image below, you can see that the two different zip files are extracted using a single command.
Conclusion
As you have seen in this article, the unzip command is one of the useful commands in Linux. You’ve also learned the syntax, some useful options, and the practical application of this command. Here, you have also seen the use of regular expressions with the unzip command in Linux. So, go through all the materials and execute accordingly to become a power user.
Similar Readings
- The “zip ” Command in Linux [9 Practical Examples]
- The “bzip2” Command in Linux [7 Practical Examples]
- The “gzip” Command in Linux [9 Practical Examples]
- The “gunzip” Command in Linux [9 Practical Examples]
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