Archiving

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(Compression + archiving)
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|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 ==
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* [[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)
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* [[Flash (Micro TECH Systems)]] (.flh)
 
* [[Flash (Micro TECH Systems)]] (.flh)
 
* [[Hamster archive]]
 
* [[Hamster archive]]
 +
* [[HRX]]
 
* [[LBR]] (.lbr)
 
* [[LBR]] (.lbr)
 
* [[LBR (Commodore)]] (.lbr)
 
* [[LBR (Commodore)]] (.lbr)
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* [[Mozilla Archive]] (.mar)
 
* [[Mozilla Archive]] (.mar)
 
* [[pax]]
 
* [[pax]]
 +
* [[QFC]]
 
* [[Quake PAK]]
 
* [[Quake PAK]]
 
* [[SAVF]]
 
* [[SAVF]]
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* [[ACE]] (.ace)
 
* [[ACE]] (.ace)
 
* [[afio]]
 
* [[afio]]
 +
* [[Ai Archiver]] (.ai)
 
* [[AIN]] (.ain)
 
* [[AIN]] (.ain)
 
* [[ALZ]] (.alz) (ALZip)
 
* [[ALZ]] (.alz) (ALZip)
 
* [[AMG (compressed archive)|AMG]] (AMGC)
 
* [[AMG (compressed archive)|AMG]] (AMGC)
 +
* [[ar (Haruhiko Okumura)]]
 
* [[AR7]]
 
* [[AR7]]
 
* [[ARC (compression format)|ARC]] (PC/MS-DOS) (.arc)
 
* [[ARC (compression format)|ARC]] (PC/MS-DOS) (.arc)
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* [[ARG]]
 
* [[ARG]]
 
* [[ARHANGEL]]
 
* [[ARHANGEL]]
 +
* [[ARI (compressed archive)|ARI]]
 
* [[ARJ]]
 
* [[ARJ]]
 +
* [[ARJZ]]
 +
* [[ARQ]]
 
* [[ARX]]
 
* [[ARX]]
 
* [[ASD Archiver]]
 
* [[ASD Archiver]]
 
* [[Astrotite]] (.afa)
 
* [[Astrotite]] (.afa)
 
* [[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]]
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* [[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]]
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* [[Compact File Set]] (.cfs)
 
* [[Compact File Set]] (.cfs)
 
* [[Compact Pro]] (.cpt)
 
* [[Compact Pro]] (.cpt)
 +
* [[CP Shrink]] (.cpz)
 
* [[CRUSH]]
 
* [[CRUSH]]
 
* [[Disk Archiver]] (.dar)
 
* [[Disk Archiver]] (.dar)
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* [[Eazel]] (.eaz)
 
* [[Eazel]] (.eaz)
 
* [[EGG (ALZip)]] (.egg)
 
* [[EGG (ALZip)]] (.egg)
 +
* [[ERI (compressed archive)|ERI]]
 +
* [[ESP (compressed archive)|ESP]]
 
* [[Freeze!]]
 
* [[Freeze!]]
 
* [[FTCOMP]]
 
* [[FTCOMP]]
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* [[HKI]] (WinHKI) (.hki)
 
* [[HKI]] (WinHKI) (.hki)
 
* [[HPACK (compressed archive)|HPACK]] (.hpk)
 
* [[HPACK (compressed archive)|HPACK]] (.hpk)
 +
* [[HUF (CP/M)]]
 
* [[Hyper archive]] (.hyp)
 
* [[Hyper archive]] (.hyp)
 
* [[ICE (ICEOWS)]] (.ice)
 
* [[ICE (ICEOWS)]] (.ice)
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* [[KGB Archiver]] (.kgb)
 
* [[KGB Archiver]] (.kgb)
 
* [[Konqueror web archive]] (.war)
 
* [[Konqueror web archive]] (.war)
 +
* [[LArc]] (.lzs)
 
* [[LHA]] (.lzh, .lha)
 
* [[LHA]] (.lzh, .lha)
 
* [[LHARK]]
 
* [[LHARK]]
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* [[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]] (.bxy)
 +
* [[OOP]]
 +
* [[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)]]
 
* [[PAQ]] (.pa6, .pa7, .pa8, others)
 
* [[PAQ]] (.pa6, .pa7, .pa8, others)
 +
* [[PAQJ]] (.qar)
 
* [[PCX Library]] (.pcl)
 
* [[PCX Library]] (.pcl)
 
* [[PEA]] (PeaZIP) (.pea)  
 
* [[PEA]] (PeaZIP) (.pea)  
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* [[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)]]
 +
* [[RAX (compressed archive)|RAX]]
 
* [[RK]] (WinRK)
 
* [[RK]] (WinRK)
 
* [[RKIVE]] (.rkv)
 
* [[RKIVE]] (.rkv)
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* [[Scifer]] (.sen, .ba, .xml)
 
* [[Scifer]] (.sen, .ba, .xml)
 
* [[ShrinkIt]] (.shk)
 
* [[ShrinkIt]] (.shk)
 +
* [[SKY (compressed archive)|SKY]]
 
* [[Slim!]]
 
* [[Slim!]]
 
* [[Softlib]] (Softdisk Publishing) (.slb)
 
* [[Softlib]] (Softdisk Publishing) (.slb)
 
* [[Spark]] (.spk)
 
* [[Spark]] (.spk)
 +
* [[SQLite Archive]] (SQLAR)
 
* [[Squash ARH|Squash]] (.arh)
 
* [[Squash ARH|Squash]] (.arh)
 
* [[Squeeze It]] (.sqz)
 
* [[Squeeze It]] (.sqz)
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* [[StuffIt]] (.sit)
 
* [[StuffIt]] (.sit)
 
* [[StuffIt X]] (.sitx)
 
* [[StuffIt X]] (.sitx)
 +
* [[SuperPack]] (.spa)
 +
* [[TBAFS]] (RISC OS)
 
* [[TSComp]] (.tsc)
 
* [[TSComp]] (.tsc)
 
* [[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)
 
* [[X (X1)]] (.x)
 
* [[X (X1)]] (.x)
 
* [[xar (Extensible Archive)]] (.xar)
 
* [[xar (Extensible Archive)]] (.xar)
 
* [[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)
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* [[ACB (compressed archive)|ACB]]
 
* [[ACB (compressed archive)|ACB]]
 
* [[binpatch (Jaap Korthals Altes)]]
 
* [[binpatch (Jaap Korthals Altes)]]
 +
* [[BinPatch (Kay Hayen)]]
 
* [[bsdiff]]
 
* [[bsdiff]]
 
* [[Courgette]]
 
* [[Courgette]]
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* [[IPS (binary patch format)]]
 
* [[IPS (binary patch format)]]
 
* [[JSON Patch]]
 
* [[JSON Patch]]
 +
* [[LDIFF LZD]]
 
* [[RTPatch]]
 
* [[RTPatch]]
 
* [[Unified diff]]
 
* [[Unified diff]]
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(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.)
 
(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.)
  
 +
* [[AS/ZC (Zip Chunker)]]
 
* [[AUTOCHOP]]
 
* [[AUTOCHOP]]
 
* [[LambChop]]
 
* [[LambChop]]
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* [[Unix dump]]
 
* [[Unix dump]]
 
* [[Windows Imaging Format]] (.wim, .swm)
 
* [[Windows Imaging Format]] (.wim, .swm)
 +
 +
See also [[Backup]].
  
 
== Institutional archiving ==
 
== Institutional archiving ==
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* [[CDX]] (associated with web archives)
 
* [[CDX]] (associated with web archives)
 
* [[DFDL]] (Data Format Description Language) - a file format for describing file formats
 
* [[DFDL]] (Data Format Description Language) - a file format for describing file formats
 +
* [[FilmConservationMetadata]]
 
* [[Internet Archive metadata]]
 
* [[Internet Archive metadata]]
 
* [[mtree]]
 
* [[mtree]]
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* [[Cross-Platform Installer Module]]
 
* [[Cross-Platform Installer Module]]
 
* [[deb]] (Debian package)
 
* [[deb]] (Debian package)
 +
* [[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 CAB]]
* [[InstallShield Z]]
+
** [[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
 
* [[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
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* [[Package File (OS X)]] (.pkg)
 
* [[Package File (OS X)]] (.pkg)
 
* [[PackageForTheWeb]]
 
* [[PackageForTheWeb]]
 +
* [[PC-Install]] (20/20 Software)
 +
* [[RED (Knowledge Dynamics)]]
 
* [[RPM]] (RedHat Package Manager)
 
* [[RPM]] (RedHat Package Manager)
 +
* [[Setup Factory]] (Indigo Rose Software)
 
* [[SIS]] (Symbian)
 
* [[SIS]] (Symbian)
 
* [[Snap]]
 
* [[Snap]]
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* [[WAD (Wii)]]
 
* [[WAD (Wii)]]
 
* [[Windows Installer]] (.msi, .msp)
 
* [[Windows Installer]] (.msi, .msp)
 +
* [[Wise installer package]]
 
* [[XAR (Executable Archive)]]
 
* [[XAR (Executable Archive)]]
 
* [[Z/Install Lite]]
 
* [[Z/Install Lite]]
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(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.)
 
* [[COMPACK]] / BUILDSFX
 
* [[COMPACK]] / BUILDSFX
 +
* [[LHA/LHarc self-extracting archive]]
 
* [[SDA]] (Self Dissolving Archive)
 
* [[SDA]] (Self Dissolving Archive)
 
* [[SEA (StuffIt)]] (StuffIt Self-Extracting Archive)
 
* [[SEA (StuffIt)]] (StuffIt Self-Extracting Archive)
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== Software ==
 
== Software ==
Creation/extraction/conversion:
+
Refer to [[Compression and archiving software]].
* Some multi-format utilities are listed at [[Conversion Software#Archives]].
+
 
+
Identification (see also [[File identification software]]):
+
* [[IDArc]]
+
  
 
== Transfer formats ==
 
== Transfer formats ==
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* [[GEOS Convert]] (.cvt)
 
* [[GEOS Convert]] (.cvt)
 
* [[MacBinary]]
 
* [[MacBinary]]
 +
* [[MAR Utility]]
 +
* [[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]].
 +
 +
== See also ==
 +
* [[Backup]]
 +
* [[Compression]]
 +
* [[Disk Image Formats]]
 +
* [[Executable envelopes#Executable libraries]]
  
 
== Links ==
 
== Links ==

Revision as of 23:23, 18 June 2022

File Format
Name Archiving
Ontology

{{{caption}}}

(Lossless, for generic data + file archives)

Contents

Archiving only

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

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)

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.

Encrypted or cryptographically signed archives

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.

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.

Institutional archiving

Metadata formats

(see also Metadata, Bibliographic data)

Miscellaneous

Program/App/Applet/Installer specialized archive formats

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.)

Software

Refer to Compression and archiving software.

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.

See also

Links

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