Linux 中的 tarball 文件是将多个文件和目录归档到一个文件中的常用方法，通常用于备份、分发或打包目的。术语 “tarball ”来源于 “tar”（磁带归档的缩写）命令的使用，该命令最初设计用于将数据写入磁带等顺序存储设备。如今，它被广泛用于打包和压缩 Linux 系统中的文件。

A tarball file in Linux is a common method of archiving multiple files and directories into a single file, often used for backup, distribution, or packaging purposes. The term "tarball" comes from the use of the `tar` (short for tape archive) command, which was originally designed for writing data to sequential storage devices like tapes. Today, it's used extensively for packaging and compressing files in Linux systems.

下面是为什么叫做tarball的原因：

Here's why it's called a tarball:

1. The `tar` Command

tar “命令用于将多个文件和目录合并（或归档）为一个文件，通常扩展名为”.tar"。这一过程本身并不压缩文件，而只是将它们组合在一起。由 `tar` 创建的归档文件通常被称为 “tarball”，因为它将所有文件 “捆绑 ”在一起。

The `tar` command is used to combine (or archive) multiple files and directories into a single file, usually with a `.tar` extension. This process doesn’t compress the files by itself; it simply groups them together. The archive created by `tar` is often referred to as a "tarball" because it "bundles" everything together.

For example:

这会创建一个名为 `archive.tar` 的文件，其中包含 `directory/` 的内容。

This creates a file called `archive.tar` that contains the contents of `directory/`.

2. Compression

虽然 `tar` 命令只归档文件，但为了节省空间，通常会对 tar 包进行压缩。这需要使用额外的压缩算法，如 `gzip`、`bzip2` 或 `xz`，它们通常与 `tar` 结合使用。压缩 tar 包时，其扩展名也会相应改变：

While the `tar` command only archives files, tarballs are often compressed to save space. This is done using additional compression algorithms like `gzip`, `bzip2`, or `xz`, which are typically used in combination with `tar`. When a tarball is compressed, its extension changes accordingly:

   

- `.tar.gz` or `.tgz`: A tarball compressed using `gzip`.

- `.tar.bz2`: A tarball compressed using `bzip2`.

- `.tar.xz`: A tarball compressed using `xz`.

例如，要使用 `gzip` 创建压缩 tar 包，可以使用:

For example, to create a compressed tarball with `gzip`, you would use:

这将把 `directory/` 压缩成一个 `archive.tar.gz` 文件。

This compresses `directory/` into a single `archive.tar.gz` file.

3. "Ball" Refers to Bundling

术语 “球 ”是一种口语表达，指的是如何将文件和目录捆绑成一个单元（或 “球”）。因此，“tar 包 ”实质上是指用 `tar` 命令将文件打包成一个归档文件的集合。

The term "ball" is a colloquial expression referring to how the files and directories are bundled together into one unit (or a "ball"). So, a "tarball" essentially refers to a collection of files wrapped into a single archive by the `tar` command.

4. Common Use Cases

在 Linux 系统中，Tarballs 被广泛用于以下用途：

- 软件分发： 开发人员经常将软件打包成 tar 包进行分发。例如，许多开源应用程序的源代码包都是以`.tar.gz`或`.tar.bz2`文件的形式提供的。

- 备份： 压缩包是备份目录和文件的便捷方法。

- 传输： 传输多个文件时，使用单个压缩包比使用多个单独文件更方便。

Tarballs are widely used in Linux systems for:

- Software distribution: Developers often package their software in a tarball for distribution. For example, source code packages of many open-source applications are provided as `.tar.gz` or `.tar.bz2` files.

- Backup: Tarballs are a convenient way to backup directories and files.

- Transfer: When transferring multiple files, it’s easier to use a single tarball rather than multiple individual files.

Example of Creating and Extracting Tarballs:

- Creating a tarball:

- Creating a compressed tarball using gzip:

- Extracting a tarball:

- Extracting a compressed tarball:

总之，压缩包是使用 “tar ”命令创建的文件，通常使用 “gzip ”或 “bzip2 ”等附加算法进行压缩。它允许将多个文件和目录捆绑在一起，以便于存储、分发和备份，因此是 Linux 生态系统中一种流行的格式。

In summary, a tarball is a file created using the `tar` command, often compressed with additional algorithms like `gzip` or `bzip2`. It allows multiple files and directories to be bundled together for easier storage, distribution, and backup, making it a popular format in the Linux ecosystem.