TAR file format
| Extension | .tar |
| Category | archives |
| Programs | Apple Archive Utility GNU Tar StuffIt WinZip |
| Description | The TAR file was originally designed within the UNIX environment to support tape backup processes. It has since been utilized to consolidate numerous files into a single file for sharing or storage purposes and for file archiving. Additionally, TAR can be considered an application used for handling TAR files. |
| Technical details | A TAR file refers to a collection of files combined into one, and this compression is typically not automatic. Applications such as gzip can be utilized to compress the entire TAR file. As a result, if compression is applied, the file extension is altered from .tar to .tar.gz. Nevertheless, the suffix would be determined by the type of compression employed. TAR files consist of around 512 bytes and a file header. |
| MIME type | application/tar application/x-tar applicaton/x-gtar multipart/x-tar application/x-compress application/x-compressed |