tar — Basic UsageIT technician command center
Linux · Linux and Bash

tar — Basic Usage

Use tar for a standard administrative task.

Copy-ready commandtar — Basic Usage
tar -czf backup.tar.gz /etc/app

Requirements and permissions

Requirements
Linux with the referenced utility installed
Permissions
Use sudo or root only when required
Last reviewed
2026-07-31

Examples

Basic Usage

Use tar for a standard administrative task.

tar -czf backup.tar.gz /etc/app

Original command

Create a compressed tar archive.

tar -czf backup.tar.gz /etc/app

Common errors

Command not found

Confirm Linux with the referenced utility installed is installed and available in your current shell.