lz

List all files inside a compressed archive

$ lz [path/to/file.tar.gz]

lzip [options] [files...]
lzip -d [options] [files...]
lzip --test [options] [files...]

-d, --decompress
    Decompress files. This is the opposite of the default action.

-z, --compress
    Compress files. This is the default action if no other action is specified.

-f, --force
    Overwrite existing output files without prompting.

-k, --keep
    Do not delete input files after successful compression or decompression.

-c, --stdout
    Write output to standard output; keep input files unchanged. Useful for piping.

-t, --test
    Test the integrity of compressed files by decompressing them in memory.

-q, --quiet
    Suppress all warning and informational messages.

-v, --verbose
    Increase verbosity, showing progress and detailed information.

-0..-9
    Set the compression level. -0 provides the fastest compression with the least compression ratio, while -9 provides the best compression ratio but is the slowest. The default level is 6.

--fast
    Equivalent to -0, selects the fastest compression method.

--best
    Equivalent to -9, selects the best compression method.

-h, --help
    Display a help message and exit.

-V, --version
    Output version information and exit.

lzip is a free, open-source data compressor based on the Lempel-Ziv-Markov chain Algorithm (LZMA). It is designed for high compression ratios and robust data integrity, making it particularly suitable for long-term archiving and data distribution.

lzip employs a dictionary-based compression method, which allows it to achieve significantly better compression than older algorithms like Deflate (used by gzip) or Burrows-Wheeler (used by bzip2). A key feature is its strong data integrity, incorporating a 64-bit checksum to reliably detect corruption. While it offers excellent compression and good decompression speeds, compression itself can be slower than very fast compressors like lz4 or lzop, and it may require more memory, especially for higher compression levels. Files compressed with lzip typically carry a .lz extension.

The command 'lz' itself is not a standard, universally installed Linux command and is often a common misconception or refers to an alias. This analysis describes the functionalities of 'lzip', which is a widely used data compressor that utilizes the LZMA algorithm and typically creates files with a .lz extension.

While lzip offers superior compression ratios compared to older tools like gzip or bzip2, its compression process can be significantly slower. It can also be memory intensive, particularly when compressing large files or using higher compression levels. Decompression, however, is generally fast.

The lzip compressor was created by Antonio Diaz Diaz, with its first stable version released in 2008. Its development was primarily motivated by the need for a free, efficient, and robust compressor specifically designed for long-term data archiving. Leveraging the powerful LZMA algorithm, lzip was developed to offer superior compression capabilities and strong data integrity checking, aiming to be a better alternative to proprietary or less efficient compression formats for critical archival purposes.

gzip(1), bzip2(1), xz(1), lzma(1), lzop(1), lz4(1), tar(1)