ZIParchives
Universal compressed archive format with native support on every major operating system.
ARC Category
Archives
Compressed and archived collections used to store, distribute, and back up files.
4 formats, 5 extensions, 2 comparisons, and 3 guides.
Formats
7zarchives
Open archive format with high compression ratios and strong AES-256 encryption.
.7z · application/x-7z-compressed
TARarchives
Unix archive format that preserves file trees, permissions, and metadata without compression.
.tar · application/x-tar
GZarchives
Lossless single-stream compression format used for files and web transfer.
.gz · application/gzip
Extensions
.zipCaution
Widely used lossless compression and archive container.
Compatible Apps
7-Zip, WinRAR, macOS Archive Utility, Windows File Explorer
.rarCaution
Proprietary archive format known for strong compression and recovery records.
Compatible Apps
WinRAR, 7-Zip, The Unarchiver, PeaZip
.7zCaution
Open archive format with high compression and strong encryption support.
Compatible Apps
7-Zip, PeaZip, The Unarchiver, Keka
.tarSafe
Unix archive format that bundles files without compressing them.
Compatible Apps
7-Zip, GNU tar, WinRAR, The Unarchiver
.gzSafe
Compression format commonly applied to a single file or tar archive.
Compatible Apps
7-Zip, gzip, WinRAR, The Unarchiver