Quiz Entry - updated: 2026.07.14
What are the core tar operation and modifier flags?
Operations pick the verb — -c create, -x extract, -t list; modifiers tune it — -f names the file, -v is verbose, -p keeps permissions.
tar's flags split into two groups. Exactly one operation says what to do; modifiers refine it:
| Flag | Long form | Role |
|---|---|---|
-c |
--create |
Operation: make a new archive |
-x |
--extract |
Operation: unpack an archive |
-t |
--list |
Operation: list contents (without extracting) |
-f |
--file |
Modifier: the next word is the archive filename |
-v |
--verbose |
Modifier: print each file as it's processed |
-p |
--preserve-permissions |
Modifier: restore original permissions on extract |
The single most important modifier is -f: it tells tar "operate on this file" rather than an actual tape device. Forget it and tar tries to read/write the default tape drive and appears to hang — so -f archive.tar is almost always present.
tar -cvf archive.tar /etc # create, verbose, into archive.tar
tar -tvf archive.tar # list verbosely (long-format listing)
Mnemonic: the three operations are "create, extract, list" — c / x / t. They're mutually exclusive; the rest just decorate.
Go deeper:
tar(1) man page — operations (-c/-x/-t) and modifiers (-f/-v/-p).