Archiving

From Just Solve the File Format Problem
(Difference between revisions)
Jump to: navigation, search
(→‎Metadata formats)
(→‎Archiving only)
 
(94 intermediate revisions by 5 users not shown)
Line 4: Line 4:
 
|image=Magazine-files.jpg
 
|image=Magazine-files.jpg
 
}}
 
}}
−
 
 
(Lossless, for generic data + file archives)
 
(Lossless, for generic data + file archives)
−
 
−
See also: [[Compression]], [[Error detection and correction]]
 
  
 
== Archiving only ==
 
== Archiving only ==
Line 15: Line 12:
 
* [[ARC (Internet Archive)]] (.arc)
 
* [[ARC (Internet Archive)]] (.arc)
 
* [[BagIt]]
 
* [[BagIt]]
 +
** [[Mailbag]]
 
* [[BAR (Age of Mythology)]]
 
* [[BAR (Age of Mythology)]]
 
* [[bar]] (SunOS 4)
 
* [[bar]] (SunOS 4)
 
* [[CAR (CarComp)]]
 
* [[CAR (CarComp)]]
 
* [[cpio]] (.cpio)
 
* [[cpio]] (.cpio)
 +
* [[DPK]]
 
* [[FAR (The Sims)]] (.far)
 
* [[FAR (The Sims)]] (.far)
 
* [[Flash (Micro TECH Systems)]] (.flh)
 
* [[Flash (Micro TECH Systems)]] (.flh)
 +
* [[GRP (Build Engine Group Archive)]] (.grp)
 
* [[Hamster archive]]
 
* [[Hamster archive]]
 +
* [[HMM Packfile]]
 +
* [[HRX]]
 
* [[LBR]] (.lbr)
 
* [[LBR]] (.lbr)
 
* [[LBR (Commodore)]] (.lbr)
 
* [[LBR (Commodore)]] (.lbr)
Line 27: Line 29:
 
* [[Mozilla Archive]] (.mar)
 
* [[Mozilla Archive]] (.mar)
 
* [[pax]]
 
* [[pax]]
 +
* [[QFC]]
 
* [[Quake PAK]]
 
* [[Quake PAK]]
 
* [[SAVF]]
 
* [[SAVF]]
Line 36: Line 39:
 
* [[Webarchive (Safari)]]
 
* [[Webarchive (Safari)]]
 
* [[XMIT]]
 
* [[XMIT]]
 +
 +
=== Text-based ===
 +
* [[HRA]]
 +
* [[HRX]]
  
 
== Compression + archiving ==
 
== Compression + archiving ==
Line 46: Line 53:
 
* [[ACE]] (.ace)
 
* [[ACE]] (.ace)
 
* [[afio]]
 
* [[afio]]
 +
* [[Ai Archiver]] (.ai)
 
* [[AIN]] (.ain)
 
* [[AIN]] (.ain)
 +
* [[AKT]]
 
* [[ALZ]] (.alz) (ALZip)
 
* [[ALZ]] (.alz) (ALZip)
 
* [[AMG (compressed archive)|AMG]] (AMGC)
 
* [[AMG (compressed archive)|AMG]] (AMGC)
 +
* [[ar (Haruhiko Okumura)]]
 +
* [[Apple Archive]] (.aar)[https://developer.apple.com/documentation/applearchive]
 +
* [[Apple Encrypted Archive]] (.aea)[https://developer.apple.com/documentation/applearchive#3761312]
 
* [[AR7]]
 
* [[AR7]]
 
* [[ARC (compression format)|ARC]] (PC/MS-DOS) (.arc)
 
* [[ARC (compression format)|ARC]] (PC/MS-DOS) (.arc)
Line 58: Line 70:
 
* [[ARG]]
 
* [[ARG]]
 
* [[ARHANGEL]]
 
* [[ARHANGEL]]
 +
* [[ARI (compressed archive)|ARI]]
 
* [[ARJ]]
 
* [[ARJ]]
 +
* [[ARJZ]]
 +
* [[ARQ]]
 
* [[ARX]]
 
* [[ARX]]
 
* [[ASD Archiver]]
 
* [[ASD Archiver]]
 
* [[Astrotite]] (.afa)
 
* [[Astrotite]] (.afa)
 +
* [[B1]]
 
* [[B6Z]] (.b6z)
 
* [[B6Z]] (.b6z)
 +
* [[BGA Archive]] (.bza, .gza)
 
* [[BIX]]
 
* [[BIX]]
 
* [[BlakHole]] (.bh)
 
* [[BlakHole]] (.bh)
 +
* [[BLINK]] (.bli)
 +
* [[BOA Constrictor Archiver]]
 
* [[BRU]] - (RSX-11M backup)
 
* [[BRU]] - (RSX-11M backup)
 
* [[BSArc and BSA]]
 
* [[BSArc and BSA]]
 +
* [[BTSPK]]
 
* [[Cabinet]] (.cab)
 
* [[Cabinet]] (.cab)
 
* [[CAR (SAP)|CAR]] (a SAP archive format; also see [[SAR]])
 
* [[CAR (SAP)|CAR]] (a SAP archive format; also see [[SAR]])
 
* [[CAR (MylesHi!)]]
 
* [[CAR (MylesHi!)]]
 +
* [[CAZIPXP]] (.caz)
 
* [[CFL]] (Compressed file library) (.cfl)
 
* [[CFL]] (Compressed file library) (.cfl)
 +
* [[ChArc]] (.chz)
 
* [[ChiefLZ]] (LZA)
 
* [[ChiefLZ]] (LZA)
 
* [[CMZ (archive format)|CMZ]]
 
* [[CMZ (archive format)|CMZ]]
Line 76: Line 98:
 
* [[Compact File Set]] (.cfs)
 
* [[Compact File Set]] (.cfs)
 
* [[Compact Pro]] (.cpt)
 
* [[Compact Pro]] (.cpt)
 +
* [[Compressia]] (.car)
 +
* [[CP Shrink]] (.cpz)
 
* [[CRUSH]]
 
* [[CRUSH]]
 
* [[Disk Archiver]] (.dar)
 
* [[Disk Archiver]] (.dar)
Line 85: Line 109:
 
* [[Eazel]] (.eaz)
 
* [[Eazel]] (.eaz)
 
* [[EGG (ALZip)]] (.egg)
 
* [[EGG (ALZip)]] (.egg)
 +
* [[ELI 5750]]
 +
* [[ERI (compressed archive)|ERI]]
 +
* [[ESP (compressed archive)|ESP]]
 +
* [[Fold (J. Turin)]]
 +
* [[FOXSQZ]]
 
* [[Freeze!]]
 
* [[Freeze!]]
−
* [[FTCOMP]]
 
 
* [[GCA]] (.gca)
 
* [[GCA]] (.gca)
 
* [[Genus Graphics Library]]
 
* [[Genus Graphics Library]]
 +
* [[GFSA]] (.fa)
 
* [[Greenleaf ArchiveLib]]
 
* [[Greenleaf ArchiveLib]]
 
* [[HA]] (.ha)
 
* [[HA]] (.ha)
 
* [[HAP]]
 
* [[HAP]]
 +
* [[HIT (compressed archive)|HIT]]
 
* [[HKI]] (WinHKI) (.hki)
 
* [[HKI]] (WinHKI) (.hki)
 
* [[HPACK (compressed archive)|HPACK]] (.hpk)
 
* [[HPACK (compressed archive)|HPACK]] (.hpk)
Line 113: Line 143:
 
* [[MDCD]] (.md)
 
* [[MDCD]] (.md)
 
* [[Micrognosis Compression Archiver]] (MAR)
 
* [[Micrognosis Compression Archiver]] (MAR)
 +
* [[MPC (Marco Czudej)]] (.mp3)
 +
* [[MSXiE]] (.xie)
 +
* [[MZP]]
 +
* [[NaShrinK]] (.nsk)
 
* [[Now Compress]]
 
* [[Now Compress]]
−
* [[NuFX]] (.bxy)
+
* [[NuFX]] / ShrinkIt (.shk)
 +
* [[OOP]]
 
* [[oPAQue]]
 
* [[oPAQue]]
 +
* [[PA (PowerArchiver)]]
 
* [[packARC]] (.pja)
 
* [[packARC]] (.pja)
 
* [[Packdir]] (RISC OS)
 
* [[Packdir]] (RISC OS)
 +
* [[PACKER (ImagiSOFT)‎]] (The Finishing Touch)
 
* [[PackIt]] (.pit)
 
* [[PackIt]] (.pit)
−
* [[PAK]] (.pak)  
+
* [[PAK]] (.pak) - various formats
 
* [[PAK (ARC extension)]]
 
* [[PAK (ARC extension)]]
 +
* [[PAKLEO]]
 
* [[PAQ]] (.pa6, .pa7, .pa8, others)
 
* [[PAQ]] (.pa6, .pa7, .pa8, others)
 +
* [[PAQJ]] (.qar)
 +
* [[PC-Shrink]] (.shr)
 
* [[PCX Library]] (.pcl)
 
* [[PCX Library]] (.pcl)
 
* [[PEA]] (PeaZIP) (.pea)  
 
* [[PEA]] (PeaZIP) (.pea)  
 
* [[PerfectCompress]] (.uca)
 
* [[PerfectCompress]] (.uca)
 
* [[PIM]] (.pim)
 
* [[PIM]] (.pim)
 +
* [[PKARC/PKPAK]]
 
* [[PLA]] (ARCHICAD Archive) (.pla)
 
* [[PLA]] (ARCHICAD Archive) (.pla)
 
* [[PMA]] (.pma)
 
* [[PMA]] (.pma)
 
* [[PPMd]]
 
* [[PPMd]]
 +
* [[Pretty Simple Archiver]] (.psa)
 
* [[PUT]] (MicroFox) (.put)
 
* [[PUT]] (MicroFox) (.put)
 
* [[Quadruple D Archiver]] (.qda)
 
* [[Quadruple D Archiver]] (.qda)
 
* [[Quantum compressed archive]] (.q)
 
* [[Quantum compressed archive]] (.q)
 +
* [[QuARK]] (.ark)
 
* [[RAR]] (.rar)
 
* [[RAR]] (.rar)
 
* [[RARC (Nintendo)]]
 
* [[RARC (Nintendo)]]
Line 141: Line 184:
 
* [[SAR (Streamline Design)]]
 
* [[SAR (Streamline Design)]]
 
* [[SARJ]] (.srj)
 
* [[SARJ]] (.srj)
 +
* [[SBX (SpinnerBaker Software)]] (.sb)
 
* [[Scifer]] (.sen, .ba, .xml)
 
* [[Scifer]] (.sen, .ba, .xml)
−
* [[ShrinkIt]] (.shk)
+
* [[SKY (compressed archive)|SKY]]
 
* [[Slim!]]
 
* [[Slim!]]
 +
* [[SOF (Spectrum Software)]] (RESOF)
 
* [[Softlib]] (Softdisk Publishing) (.slb)
 
* [[Softlib]] (Softdisk Publishing) (.slb)
 
* [[Spark]] (.spk)
 
* [[Spark]] (.spk)
Line 153: Line 198:
 
* [[StuffIt]] (.sit)
 
* [[StuffIt]] (.sit)
 
* [[StuffIt X]] (.sitx)
 
* [[StuffIt X]] (.sitx)
 +
* [[SuperPack]] (.spa)
 
* [[TBAFS]] (RISC OS)
 
* [[TBAFS]] (RISC OS)
−
* [[TSComp]] (.tsc)
+
* [[Tome]]
 +
* [[TSComp]]
 
* [[UFA]]
 
* [[UFA]]
 
* [[UHARC]] (.uha)  
 
* [[UHARC]] (.uha)  
 
* [[UltraCompressor II]] (.uc, .uc0, .uc2, .ucn, .ur2, .ue2)
 
* [[UltraCompressor II]] (.uc, .uc0, .uc2, .ucn, .ur2, .ue2)
 +
* [[VEM]] (Sony Virtual Expander)
 
* [[WARC]] (.warc, .warc.gz)
 
* [[WARC]] (.warc, .warc.gz)
 +
** [[WACZ]] (packaged warc)
 
* [[X (X1)]] (.x)
 
* [[X (X1)]] (.x)
 
* [[xar (Extensible Archive)]] (.xar)
 
* [[xar (Extensible Archive)]] (.xar)
 +
* [[Xidie archive]] (.zxc)
 
* [[XP3]] (.xp3) - used in [[KiriKiri Adventure Game System]]
 
* [[XP3]] (.xp3) - used in [[KiriKiri Adventure Game System]]
−
* [[XPACK]] (.xpa)
+
* [[xpa32]] (.xpa)
 +
* [[XPACK archive]] (.xpa)
 
* [[YAC]] (.yc)
 
* [[YAC]] (.yc)
 
* [[Yamazaki zipper archive]] (.yz1) - used in DeepFreezer
 
* [[Yamazaki zipper archive]] (.yz1) - used in DeepFreezer
 +
* [[ZAR (Zip-Archiv)]]
 +
* [[Zet]]
 
* [[ZIP]] (.zip)
 
* [[ZIP]] (.zip)
 
* [[Zipx]] (.zipx)
 
* [[Zipx]] (.zipx)
 
* [[Zoo]] (.zoo)
 
* [[Zoo]] (.zoo)
−
* ZPack Lite (.zpk) - See [[Z/Install Lite]]
+
* [[ZPack (LeadRDRK)]]
 +
* ZPack [Lite] (.zpk) - See [[Z/Install]]
 
* [[ZPAQ]]
 
* [[ZPAQ]]
 
* [[Zzip]] (.zz)
 
* [[Zzip]] (.zz)
Line 177: Line 231:
 
* [[ACB (compressed archive)|ACB]]
 
* [[ACB (compressed archive)|ACB]]
 
* [[binpatch (Jaap Korthals Altes)]]
 
* [[binpatch (Jaap Korthals Altes)]]
 +
* [[BinPatch (Kay Hayen)]]
 
* [[bsdiff]]
 
* [[bsdiff]]
 
* [[Courgette]]
 
* [[Courgette]]
 
* [[diff]]
 
* [[diff]]
 +
* [[dirpatch]]
 
* [[FidoNet nodediff]]
 
* [[FidoNet nodediff]]
 +
* [[FXPF]]
 
* [[GDIFF]]
 
* [[GDIFF]]
 
* [[IPS (binary patch format)]]
 
* [[IPS (binary patch format)]]
 
* [[JSON Patch]]
 
* [[JSON Patch]]
−
* [[LDIFF LZD]]
+
* [[LDArc and LDIFF]] (.lzd)
 +
* [[rename helper]]
 
* [[RTPatch]]
 
* [[RTPatch]]
 +
* [[SmartVersion]] (.svf)
 
* [[Unified diff]]
 
* [[Unified diff]]
 
* [[UPS (binary patch format)]]
 
* [[UPS (binary patch format)]]
Line 191: Line 250:
  
 
See also [[Wikipedia:Data differencing]].
 
See also [[Wikipedia:Data differencing]].
 +
 +
== Versioning files ==
 +
(contains multiple versions of files, often just saving the differences to save space)
 +
 +
(often a filesystem-level capability, such as ZFS and Btrfs snapshots and Windows Shadow Copy)
 +
 +
* [[Autodesk Vault]]
 +
* [[SmartVersion]] (.svf)
 +
 +
See also [[Development#Revision_control_systems_.2F_code_repositories|Revision control systems / code repositories]]
  
 
== Encrypted or cryptographically signed archives ==
 
== Encrypted or cryptographically signed archives ==
Line 204: Line 273:
 
* [[LambChop]]
 
* [[LambChop]]
 
* [[SPLIT (M. Dingacci)]]
 
* [[SPLIT (M. Dingacci)]]
 +
* [[SLICE/SPLICE]] [https://books.google.com/books?id=2jkWJsu_9CoC&lpg=RA1-PA279&ots=HsGIEANANn&dq=%22SLICE%20-%20Break%20file%20for%20multiple%20diskettes%22&pg=RA1-PA279#v=onepage&q&f=false 1]
  
 
Also, the two sorts of [[Horcrux]], [[Horcrux (jesseduffield)]] and [[Horcrux (kndyry)]], are split-and-encrypted files.
 
Also, the two sorts of [[Horcrux]], [[Horcrux (jesseduffield)]] and [[Horcrux (kndyry)]], are split-and-encrypted files.
Line 210: Line 280:
 
Formats designed for backing up disks, usually specifically targeted at particular [[filesystem]]s (but backing it up in the form of file structures, not raw sector images like [[Disk Image Formats]]).
 
Formats designed for backing up disks, usually specifically targeted at particular [[filesystem]]s (but backing it up in the form of file structures, not raw sector images like [[Disk Image Formats]]).
 
* [[BACKUP (MS-DOS)]]
 
* [[BACKUP (MS-DOS)]]
−
* [[BlockHashLoc]]
 
 
* [[Partimage]]  
 
* [[Partimage]]  
 
* [[ufsdump]]
 
* [[ufsdump]]
 
* [[Unix dump]]
 
* [[Unix dump]]
 
* [[Windows Imaging Format]] (.wim, .swm)
 
* [[Windows Imaging Format]] (.wim, .swm)
 +
 +
See also [[Backup]].
 +
 +
== Fake archiving ==
 +
Beware of these; they purport to be archivers but aren't really; you might lose any data you entrust to them. Could be somebody's idea of humor or malware.
 +
* [[OWS (fake compressed archive)]]
 +
* [[WIC (fake compressed archive)]]
  
 
== Institutional archiving ==
 
== Institutional archiving ==
 
* [[ARK]] (identifier for archived documents)
 
* [[ARK]] (identifier for archived documents)
 +
* [[Archive eXchange Format]] (.axf)
 
* [[OAIS]] (Open Archival Information System, an organization that does archiving)
 
* [[OAIS]] (Open Archival Information System, an organization that does archiving)
 
* [[Planets Core Registry]]
 
* [[Planets Core Registry]]
Line 238: Line 315:
  
 
(see also [[Metadata]], [[Bibliographic data]])
 
(see also [[Metadata]], [[Bibliographic data]])
−
 
−
== Miscellaneous ==
 
−
* [[Cache Directory Tagging Standard]]
 
  
 
== Program/App/Applet/Installer specialized archive formats ==
 
== Program/App/Applet/Installer specialized archive formats ==
 +
* [[Adobe Air]]
 
* [[APK]] (Android app)
 
* [[APK]] (Android app)
 +
** [[XAPK]]
 +
*** [[OBB]]
 
* [[Bundle file (Linux)]]
 
* [[Bundle file (Linux)]]
 
* [[Bundle file (OS X)]]
 
* [[Bundle file (OS X)]]
Line 249: Line 326:
 
* [[Cakewalk Bundle (BUN)]]
 
* [[Cakewalk Bundle (BUN)]]
 
* [[Cakewalk Bundle (CWB)]]
 
* [[Cakewalk Bundle (CWB)]]
−
* [[COM-Pack library]]
 
 
* [[Cross-Platform Installer Module]]
 
* [[Cross-Platform Installer Module]]
 
* [[deb]] (Debian package)
 
* [[deb]] (Debian package)
 +
* [[Eschalon Setup archive]] (.arv)
 +
* [[FIZ]]
 +
* [[Garc archive]] (.gar)
 
* [[IPS archive|Image Packaging System (IPS) archive]] (.p5p)
 
* [[IPS archive|Image Packaging System (IPS) archive]] (.p5p)
 
* [[IPS manifest|Image Packaging System (IPS) manifest]] (.p5m)
 
* [[IPS manifest|Image Packaging System (IPS) manifest]] (.p5m)
 
* [[Inno Setup self-extracting archive]]
 
* [[Inno Setup self-extracting archive]]
−
* [[InstallShield CAB]]
+
* [[InstallShield]]
−
* [[InstallShield installer archive]]
+
** [[InstallShield archive (IBT)]]
−
* [[InstallShield Z]]
+
** [[InstallShield CAB]]
 +
** [[InstallShield installer archive]]
 +
** [[InstallShield Self-Extracting EXE]]
 +
** [[InstallShield Z]]
 
* [[IPA]] (.ipa) => iOS app in archived form; actually in zip format
 
* [[IPA]] (.ipa) => iOS app in archived form; actually in zip format
 +
* [[IPSW]] (.ipsw) Apple OS restore format [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPSW 1]
 +
* [[IRIX software distribution format]] (.idb, etc.)
 
* [[Jar]] (.j, .jar) (Java) => this is just a renamed zip file with some mandatory files
 
* [[Jar]] (.j, .jar) (Java) => this is just a renamed zip file with some mandatory files
 +
* [[LIF (Knowledge Dynamics)]]
 +
* [[MDA (Micrografx)]]
 
* [[Meta-Package File]] (.mpkg) (Mac OS X)
 
* [[Meta-Package File]] (.mpkg) (Mac OS X)
 
* [[Microsoft Update Standalone Package]]
 
* [[Microsoft Update Standalone Package]]
 +
* [[MRNZ]]
 
* [[NSIS]] (Nullsoft Scriptable Install System)
 
* [[NSIS]] (Nullsoft Scriptable Install System)
 
* [[Olive]] (executable virtual-machine archive of software)
 
* [[Olive]] (executable virtual-machine archive of software)
 +
* [[OS/2 PACK archive]]
 +
* [[OS/2 PACK2 archive]] (FTCOMP)
 
* [[Package File (OS X)]] (.pkg)
 
* [[Package File (OS X)]] (.pkg)
 
* [[PackageForTheWeb]]
 
* [[PackageForTheWeb]]
 +
* [[PC-Install]] (20/20 Software) - See also [[PC-Shrink]].
 +
* [[QIP (Quarterdeck)]]
 +
* [[RED (Knowledge Dynamics)]]
 
* [[RPM]] (RedHat Package Manager)
 
* [[RPM]] (RedHat Package Manager)
 +
* [[Setup Factory]] (Indigo Rose Software)
 
* [[SIS]] (Symbian)
 
* [[SIS]] (Symbian)
 
* [[Snap]]
 
* [[Snap]]
Line 275: Line 368:
 
* [[Wise installer package]]
 
* [[Wise installer package]]
 
* [[XAR (Executable Archive)]]
 
* [[XAR (Executable Archive)]]
−
* [[Z/Install Lite]]
+
* [[Z/Install]]
 +
* [[ZSoft ZPK2]]
 +
* [[Zune HD Application File]] (.zcp)
  
 
== Self-extracting archives ==
 
== Self-extracting archives ==
 
(in addition, some of the other archivers are able to produce executable files for some platform which include the archived data and a program to extract them, and generally have the file extension normal for executables, such as .exe for DOS/Windows. In many cases, if you rename the extension to the appropriate one for the archive type involved, e.g., '''.zip''', the file will open in the appropriate archiver, which is handy for extracting them on systems not compatible with the original executable.)
 
(in addition, some of the other archivers are able to produce executable files for some platform which include the archived data and a program to extract them, and generally have the file extension normal for executables, such as .exe for DOS/Windows. In many cases, if you rename the extension to the appropriate one for the archive type involved, e.g., '''.zip''', the file will open in the appropriate archiver, which is handy for extracting them on systems not compatible with the original executable.)
 +
* [[ARS]]
 
* [[COMPACK]] / BUILDSFX
 
* [[COMPACK]] / BUILDSFX
 +
* [[LHA/LHarc self-extracting archive]]
 +
* [[NETSEND]]
 +
* [[PMsfx]]
 
* [[SDA]] (Self Dissolving Archive)
 
* [[SDA]] (Self Dissolving Archive)
 
* [[SEA (StuffIt)]] (StuffIt Self-Extracting Archive)
 
* [[SEA (StuffIt)]] (StuffIt Self-Extracting Archive)
Line 299: Line 398:
 
* [[GEOS Convert]] (.cvt)
 
* [[GEOS Convert]] (.cvt)
 
* [[MacBinary]]
 
* [[MacBinary]]
 +
* [[MAR Utility]]
 
* [[oric-dsk-manager exported file]]
 
* [[oric-dsk-manager exported file]]
 
* [[TI variable file]]
 
* [[TI variable file]]
  
 
For low-level transfer encodings, see [[Transfer Encodings]].
 
For low-level transfer encodings, see [[Transfer Encodings]].
 +
 +
== Uncategorized ==
 +
* [[Cache Directory Tagging Standard]]
 +
* [[Content Addressable Archive]] (CAR)
 +
 +
== See also ==
 +
* [[Backup]]
 +
* [[Compression]]
 +
* [[Disk Image Formats]]
 +
* [[Executable envelopes#Executable libraries]]
  
 
== Links ==
 
== Links ==

Latest revision as of 13:39, 23 August 2024

File Format
Name Archiving
Ontology

{{{caption}}}

(Lossless, for generic data + file archives)

Contents

[edit] Archiving only

(many files => 1 file, no compression attempted)

[edit] Text-based

[edit] Compression + archiving

(Multiple files => 1 file, makes it smaller. See Compression for formats that compress single files/streams, and Disk Image Formats for formats that capture the low-level structure of a disk)

[edit] Diff files

(containing only the parts of a file that have changed, so they can be applied to an existing file to update it; used for update distribution and incremental backups)

See also Wikipedia:Data differencing.

[edit] Versioning files

(contains multiple versions of files, often just saving the differences to save space)

(often a filesystem-level capability, such as ZFS and Btrfs snapshots and Windows Shadow Copy)

See also Revision control systems / code repositories

[edit] Encrypted or cryptographically signed archives

[edit] File splitting

(1 file => multiple files. Most file splitting utilities just produce raw file fragments, and don't have a native file format. But some use a container format, and some create a separate "control" file for metadata.)

Also, the two sorts of Horcrux, Horcrux (jesseduffield) and Horcrux (kndyry), are split-and-encrypted files.

[edit] Filesystem backup and restoration

Formats designed for backing up disks, usually specifically targeted at particular filesystems (but backing it up in the form of file structures, not raw sector images like Disk Image Formats).

See also Backup.

[edit] Fake archiving

Beware of these; they purport to be archivers but aren't really; you might lose any data you entrust to them. Could be somebody's idea of humor or malware.

[edit] Institutional archiving

[edit] Metadata formats

(see also Metadata, Bibliographic data)

[edit] Program/App/Applet/Installer specialized archive formats

[edit] Self-extracting archives

(in addition, some of the other archivers are able to produce executable files for some platform which include the archived data and a program to extract them, and generally have the file extension normal for executables, such as .exe for DOS/Windows. In many cases, if you rename the extension to the appropriate one for the archive type involved, e.g., .zip, the file will open in the appropriate archiver, which is handy for extracting them on systems not compatible with the original executable.)

[edit] Software

Refer to Compression and archiving software.

[edit] Transfer formats

(encapsulate a system-specific file structure to make it compatible with foreign systems, file transfer protocols, etc.)

For low-level transfer encodings, see Transfer Encodings.

[edit] Uncategorized

[edit] See also

[edit] Links

Retrieved from "http://fileformats.archiveteam.org/index.php?title=Archiving&oldid=49092"
Personal tools
Namespaces

Variants
Actions
Navigation
Toolbox