How To Extract Tar.Xz File In Linux

Working with files in Linux can be a breeze if you are familiar with the command line interface (CLI). In this tutorial, we are going to cover how to extract a tar.xz file in Linux.

tar.xz is a compressed file format that allows for better space usage and faster transfer rates. It’s commonly used for distributing software packages in Linux. Now, let’s dive into how to extract these file types.

Step 1: Checking if xz-utils is installed

Before proceeding, it’s crucial to ensure you have xz-utils installed. This is the utility that enables working with tar.xz files. If it’s not installed, you can get it by using the following command:

sudo apt-get install xz-utils

Step 2: Extracting the tar.xz file

We use the tar command to extract the files. The command format is tar -xf file.tar.xz. Here’s an example:

tar -xf myfile.tar.xz

Step 3: Verifying the extraction

After extraction, you’ll want to confirm that everything extracted properly. You can do this by listing the files in the directory with the ls command.

ls -l

Conclusion

As we’ve seen, extracting a tar.xz file in Linux is a straightforward process. All you need is the right utility (xz-utils), and you can quickly extract your files using the tar command. Remember, practice makes perfect. The more you use these commands, the more comfortable you’ll get with them. Happy Linux-ing!