Recursive Compression with find Using gzip Command in Linux

To compress all files in a directory and its subdirectories, the find command can be combined with gzip:

find /path/to/directory -type f -exec gzip {} \;

This command recursively compresses all files in the specified directory.

Gzip Command in Linux

gzip command compresses files. Each single file is compressed into a single file. The compressed file consists of a GNU zip header and deflated data. If given a file as an argument, gzip compresses the file, adds a “.gz” suffix, and deletes the original file. With no arguments, gzip compresses the standard input and writes the compressed file to the standard output.

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Basics of gzip:

Gzip, short for GNU Zip, is a command-line compression tool commonly found on Linux systems. It utilizes the DEFLATE compression algorithm to reduce the size of files, making them more manageable for storage and transmission....

Difference between Gzip and zip command in Unix and when to use which command

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Syntax of the gzip Command

The basic syntax of the gzip command is straightforward:...

Options Available in gzip Command

Options Description -f Forcefully compress a file even if a compressed version with the same name already exists. -k Compress a file and keep the original file, resulting in both the compressed and original files. -L Display the gzip license for the software. -r Recursively compress all files in a folder and its subfolders. -v Display the name and percentage reduction for each file compressed or decompressed. -d Decompress a file that was compressed using the gzip command....

Basic Compression using gzip Command in Linux

To compress a file named “mydoc.txt,” the following command can be used:...

How to decompress a gzip file in Linux?

The basic syntax of the gzip command for decompressing a file is as follows:...

Keeping the Original File Using gzip Command in Linux

By default, gzip removes the original file after compression. To retain the original file, use the -k option:...

Verbose Mode Using gzip Command in Linux

To obtain more details during compression or decompression, the -v option is employed:...

Force Compression Using gzip Command in Linux

In cases where the compressed file already exists, the -f option forcefully overwrites it:...

Compressing Multiple Files Using gzip Command in Linux

Gzip can compress multiple files simultaneously by providing their names as arguments:...

Recursive Compression with find Using gzip Command in Linux

To compress all files in a directory and its subdirectories, the find command can be combined with gzip:...

Conclusion

In this article we discussed the gzip command which is a powerful tool on Linux for compressing and decompressing files using the DEFLATE algorithm. Its basic syntax allows for straightforward compression, with options like -k preserving the original file and -v providing detailed information. The -f option forcefully compresses, overwriting existing files, while -r facilitates recursive compression. Gzip’s versatility makes it a go-to tool for efficiently managing file sizes and navigating through directory structures....