​​How to Zip Files and Directories in Linux/Ubuntu? – LinuxWays

The following sections will discuss creating Zip Archives from multiple files, single and multiple directories by using the command line:

“Zip” command is used to compress files via Terminal. For example, files File1, File2, File3, File4, and File5 can be compressed to create a zipped archive “CompressedFile.zip” by executing the following command:

The above command comprises of:

• zip: tar command line tool.
• CompressedFile.zip: Name of compressed archive.
• *.txt: selects all the txt files present in the directory.

From the above image, it can be seen that File1.txt, File2.txt, File3.txt, File4.txt, and File5.txt are compressed to form a zip archive, i.e., “CompressedFile.zip” archive.

A single Directory is compressed to a zip archive by launching the terminal and executing the zip command. For example, a directory “Screenshots” can be compressed to create a zipped archive “CompressedFolder.zip” by executing the following command:

The above command comprises of:

• zip: tar command line tool
• -r: flag for directory
• CompressedFolder.zip: Name of compressed archive
• Screenshots: Name of Directory to be compressed

From the above image, it can be seen that the directory “Screenshots” is compressed to a zip archive, i.e., “CompressedFolder.zip”.

“Zip” command is used to compress multiple directories via Terminal. For example, directories: Directory1, Directory2, and Directory3 can be compressed to create a zipped archive “CompressedFile.zip” by executing the following command:

The above command comprises of:

• zip: tar command line tool
• -r: flag for directory
• CompressedFile.zip: Name of compressed archive
• Directory1, Directory2, Directory 3: Name of Directories to be compressed

From the above image, it can be seen that the directories, Directory1, Directory2, and Directory3 are compressed to a zip archive, i.e., “CompressedFile.zip”.

Files and Directories are compressed with ease with just a few clicks using Linux/Ubuntu GUI. The following sections discuss creating Zip Archives from multiple files, and single and multiple directories:

Multiple Files can be compressed into a zip archive by selecting all files by either a keyboard or a mouse and then selecting “Compress” from the right-click drop-down menu:

This will redirect to the “Create Archive” window where we can insert the Archive name and select .zip format to compress the file in .zip format. Finally, we can press the Create button.

Then click on the Create button to create a zip archive file “CompressedFile.zip” from the selected files, i.e., File1, File2, File3, File4, and File5.

A directory can be compressed into a zip archive by selecting the directory with either a keyboard or a mouse and then selecting “Compress” from the right-click drop-down menu:

This will redirect to the “Create Archive” window where we can insert the Archive name and select .zip format to compress the file in .zip format. Finally, we can press the Create button.

Then click the Create button to create a zip archive file “CompressedFile.zip” from the selected directory, i.e., “Screenshots”.

Multiple directories can be compressed into a zip archive by selecting the directories with either a keyboard or a mouse and then by selecting “Compress” from the right-click drop-down menu:

This will lead us to the “Create Archive” window where we can insert the Archive name and select the .zip format to compress the selected directories in .zip format.

Finally, click on the Create button to create a zip archive file “CompressedDirectory.zip” of the selected directories, i.e., Directory1, Directory2, and Directory3.

Files and Directories can be compressed to a zip archive with ease with the command line as well as GUI. Files can be compressed using “zip <archivename> <file1> <file2>”. Similarly, single and multiple directories can be compressed by using “zip -r <archivename> <Directory>” and “zip -r <archivename> <Directory1> <Directory2>”. This article has demonstrated the process of compressing files and directories using .zip archive format on Linux/Ubuntu 22.04 LTS by command line as well as by GUI.