10 Quick Commands to Peek Inside Archives Without Extracting

Usually you need to extract an archive or compressed file before inspecting its contents, which can be cumbersome. This article introduces ten different methods that let you view archive or compressed file contents without extracting, by temporarily unpacking them in a /tmp directory that is cleared on reboot.

1. Use Vim

Vim can open archive files directly and display their contents. Example: vim test.tar.gz Within Vim you can navigate the file list, open text files, and press ENTER to view a selected file.

2. Use tar

The tar command can list archive contents without extraction: tar -tf test.tar Use the -v option for detailed information such as permissions, owners, and timestamps:

tar -tvf test.tar

3. Use rar

For RAR archives, the rar v command shows the file list:

rar v test.rar

4. Use unrar

The unrar l command lists the contents of a RAR file:

unrar l test.rar

5. Use zip

To view a ZIP archive, use the zip -sf command:

zip -sf test.zip

6. Use unzip

The unzip -l command lists files inside a ZIP archive:

unzip -l test.zip

7. Use zipinfo

The zipinfo command provides detailed information about a ZIP file:

zipinfo test.zip

8. Use zcat

The zcat command (or gunzip -c) outputs the contents of a compressed file without extracting:

zcat test.tar.gz

gunzip -c test.tar.gz

9. Use zless

zless

pages through a compressed file similarly to less:

zless test.tar.gz

10. Use less

The less command can also display the contents of an archive or compressed file interactively: less test.tar.gz These ten commands enable you to inspect the contents and metadata of archive or compressed files without extracting them, allowing you to quickly explore files and decide whether further extraction is needed.