View source for Software:Libarchive

{{Short description|Open-source archive and compression library}}
{{lowercase title}}
{{infobox software
| title = libarchive
| logo = 
| screenshot = 
| author = 
| developer = 
| released = {{start date and age|2003}}{{r|name="ReleaseNotes"}}
| latest release version = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q64374525|P348|P548=Q2804309}}
| latest release date = {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|Q64374525|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}}
| latest preview version = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q64374525|P348|P548=Q51930650}}
| latest preview date = {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|Q64374525|P348|P548=Q51930650|P577}}
| programming language = [[C (programming language)|C]]
| operating system = [[Cross-platform software|cross-platform]]
| genre = [[Library (computing)|library]]
| license = [[Software:BSD licenses|New BSD License]]{{r|name="www.libarchive.org"}}
}}
'''libarchive''' is a [[Free and open-source software|free and open-source]] [[Library (computing)|library]] for reading and writing various [[Archive file#archive formats|archive]] and [[List of archive formats|compression formats]]. It is written in [[C (programming language)|C]] and works on most [[Unix-like]] systems and [[Software:Microsoft Windows|Windows]].<ref name="www.libarchive.org">{{cite web |title=libarchive |url=https://www.libarchive.org/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230524004252/https://www.libarchive.org/ |archive-date=2023-05-24 |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=www.libarchive.org |language=en}}</ref>

==History==
libarchive's development was started in 2003 as part of the [[Software:FreeBSD|FreeBSD]] project.<ref name="ReleaseNotes">{{cite web |url=https://github.com/libarchive/libarchive/wiki/ReleaseNotes |title=ReleaseNotes |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=GitHub |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220312005639/https://github.com/libarchive/libarchive/wiki/ReleaseNotes |archive-date=2022-03-12 |url-status=live |language=en}}</ref> During the early years it was led by the FreeBSD project, but later it became an independent project.<ref name="ReleaseEngineering">{{cite web |url=https://github.com/libarchive/libarchive/wiki/ReleaseEngineering |title=ReleaseEngineering |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=GitHub |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220430100141/https://github.com/libarchive/libarchive/wiki/ReleaseEngineering |archive-date=2022-04-30 |url-status=live |language=en}}</ref> It was first released with FreeBSD 5.3 in November 2004.<ref name="LibarchiveUsers">{{cite web |url=https://github.com/libarchive/libarchive/wiki/LibarchiveUsers |title=LibarchiveUsers |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=GitHub |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221128123136/https://github.com/libarchive/libarchive/wiki/LibarchiveUsers |archive-date=2022-11-28 |url-status=live |language=en}}</ref>

==libarchive==
libarchive automatically detects and reads archive formats.<ref name="libarchive-man">{{man|3|libarchive|FreeBSD}}</ref> If the archive is compressed, libarchive also detects and handles compression formats before evaluating the archive.{{r|name="libarchive-man"}} libarchive is designed to minimize the copying of data internally for optimal performance.<ref name="ZeroCopy">{{cite web |url=https://github.com/libarchive/libarchive/wiki/ZeroCopy |title=ZeroCopy |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=GitHub |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220430121404/https://github.com/libarchive/libarchive/wiki/ZeroCopy |archive-date=2022-04-30 |url-status=live |language=en}}</ref>

Supported archive formats:<ref>{{cite web |title=Libarchive Formats |url=https://github.com/libarchive/libarchive/wiki/LibarchiveFormats |website=GitHub |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200911161029/https://github.com/libarchive/libarchive/wiki/LibarchiveFormats |archive-date=September 11, 2020 |date=January 17, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[7z|7z]] - read and write
* [[Software:Ar (Unix)|ar]] - read and write
* [[Cabinet (file format)|cab]] - read only
* [[Software:Cpio|cpio]] - read and write
* ISO9660- read and write
* [[Software:LHA (file format)|lha]] & [[Software:LHA (file format)|lzh]] - read only
* [[Software:Pax (command)|pax]] - read and write
* [[RAR (file format)|rar]] - read only
* [[Software:Shar|shar]] - write only
* [[Software:Tar (computing)|tar]] - read and write
* [[WARC (file format)|warc]] (ISO 28500:2009) - read and write
* [[Xar (archiver)|xar]] - read and write
* [[ZIP (file format)|zip]] - read and write

==Utilities==
libarchive provides [[Command-line interface|command-line]] utilities called <code>bsdtar</code> and <code>bsdcpio</code>.{{r|name="www.libarchive.org"}} These are complete re-implementation based on libarchive.<ref name="bsdtar-man">{{man|1|bsdtar|FreeBSD}}</ref><ref name="bsdcpio-man">{{man|1|bsdcpio|FreeBSD}}</ref> These are the default system [[Software:Tar (computing)|tar]] and [[Software:Cpio|cpio]] on [[Software:FreeBSD|FreeBSD]], [[Software:NetBSD|NetBSD]], [[Software:MacOS|macOS]] and Windows.{{r|name="LibarchiveUsers"}}

There is also <code>bsdcat</code>, designed to decompress a file to the standard output like zcat.<ref>{{man|1|bsdcat|FreeBSD}}</ref>

==Users==
libarchive was originally developed for FreeBSD, but is also used in NetBSD and macOS as part of those operating systems.{{r|name="LibarchiveUsers"}}

<code>bsdtar</code> has been included in Windows since [[Software:Windows 10, version 1803|Windows 10 April 2018 Update]].<ref name="tar-and-curl-come-to-windows">{{cite web |date=2019-03-21 |title=Tar and Curl Come to Windows! |url=https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/containers/tar-and-curl-come-to-windows/ba-p/382409 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415164646/https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/containers/tar-and-curl-come-to-windows/ba-p/382409 |archive-date=2023-04-15 |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=Microsoft Community Hub |language=en}}</ref> In May 2023, [[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]] announced [[Software:Windows 11|Windows 11]] will natively support additional archive formats such as [[7z|7z]] and [[RAR (file format)|RAR]] via libarchive.<ref name="bringing-the-power-of-ai-to-windows-11-unlocking-a-new-era-of-productivity-for-customers-and-developers-with-windows-copilot-and-dev-home">{{cite web |last=Panay |first=Panos |date=2023-05-23 |title=Bringing the power of AI to Windows 11 - unlocking a new era of productivity for customers and developers with Windows Copilot and Dev Home |url=https://blogs.windows.com/windowsdeveloper/2023/05/23/bringing-the-power-of-ai-to-windows-11-unlocking-a-new-era-of-productivity-for-customers-and-developers-with-windows-copilot-and-dev-home/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230525120145/https://blogs.windows.com/windowsdeveloper/2023/05/23/bringing-the-power-of-ai-to-windows-11-unlocking-a-new-era-of-productivity-for-customers-and-developers-with-windows-copilot-and-dev-home/ |archive-date=2023-05-25 |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=Windows Developer Blog |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==

[[Category:Free software programmed in C]]
[[Category:Cross-platform software]]
[[Category:File archivers]]
[[Category:Free data compression software]]


{{Sourceattribution|Libarchive}}