zip

Updated

September 4, 2026

Overview

zip creates ZIP archives widely used for cross-platform interchange (Windows, macOS, Linux). Unlike tar + compressor pipelines, zip typically compresses each member and stores a central directory. Prefer tar + gzip/zstd for Unix-native backups with permissions/owners; use zip when recipients expect .zip or you need simple selective compression of mixed files.

Syntax

zip [options] archive.zip file...
zip [options] archive.zip -r dir/

Common Options

Option Description
-r Recurse into directories
-q Quiet
-v Verbose
-u Update existing entries
-m Move files into zip (delete after)
-e Encrypt (traditional; weak by modern standards)
-P pass Password on CLI (visible in process list — avoid)
-x pattern Exclude patterns
-i pattern Include patterns
-y Store symbolic links as links (Unix)
-j Junk (store) path names — flatten
-0 … -9 Compression level (0 = store)
-s size Split archive into segments
-F / -FF Fix archive

Examples with Explanations

Create archives

zip notes.zip *.txt
zip -r project.zip project/
zip -r project.zip project/ -x 'project/node_modules/*' -x '*.git*'

Update and list

zip -u project.zip project/README.md
zip -sf project.zip                 # show files (zipinfo-like)
unzip -l project.zip                # often clearer listing

Flatten paths

zip -j flat.zip path/to/a.txt path/to/b.txt

Store without compression

zip -0 -r media.zip photos/         # already-compressed JPEGs

Encryption (know the limits)

zip -e secret.zip secrets.txt
# traditional zip crypto is weak; prefer 7z AES or age/gpg for real secrets

Split archives

zip -r -s 100m backup.zip data/

Exclude junk

zip -r src.zip src/ -x '*/__pycache__/*' -x '*.pyc' -x '*/.DS_Store'

Date-stamped backup

zip -r "backup-$(date +%Y%m%d).zip" documents/

Notes / Pitfalls

  • Unix permissions, owners, and special files are a poor fit; tar preserves more faithfully.
  • Password on the command line (-P) leaks via ps — interactive -e is better but still weak crypto.
  • Large file ZIP64 support depends on zip version; very old unzip may fail.
  • Default may follow or store links differently than you expect — test with -y.
  • Windows/macOS clients may mishandle exotic UTF-8 names depending on flags/tools.

2026-relevant notes

  • For secure sharing, prefer age, gpg, or encrypted 7z over zip’s traditional encryption.
  • CI artifacts often use zip for multi-OS consumers — keep compression level modest for speed.
  • unzip / bsdunzip / Explorer all need to open your result — avoid exotic extensions.

Additional Resources

  • man zip