Advantages of using TAR.GZ vs. GZ

[richmaxw]

Hi,

Why are some files converted to TARs, then compressed using GZIP? Why aren't they just compressed using GZIP instead of first converting them to TARs? I just created some TAR.GZ and GZ files using PeaZip, and the size of each file was the same.

Thanks,

Richard

[valemon]

Hello

tar is a tool used for gathering many files into a single big one. So when you use gzip to a .tar file you are compressing a single file rather many smaller files.

[richmaxw]

ok. Thanks.

[meton_magis]

many files (especialy text) will compress better if compressed as 1 big file, instead of many smaller ones. I'm no expert on compression .... but these guys claim to be.
howstuffworks

If you're just putting 1 file into a tar, then gzipping it, you're going to get (roughly) the same size. but tarring many files, and your compression ration will be better than all files compressed seperately, because of more patterns that repeat.