Creating and managing zip archives efficiently is a common task for Linux users, system administrators, and developers. Whether you need to compress files to save space, share data, or simply keep things organized, knowing a few shell tricks can save you time and effort. While graphical tools exist for handling zip files, command-line methods offer greater flexibility and automation capabilities.
In a previous article, we explored fundamental zip operations such as creating, splitting, joining, and extracting zip archives. If you haven’t read it yet, I recommend checking it out [link to article] as it provides a solid foundation for working with zip files in the terminal. Building on that knowledge, this article focuses on three useful shell tricks that allow you to zip specific file types or all files in a directory efficiently.
These tricks are particularly useful because, in many situations, you may not want to compress an entire directory but rather a subset of files. The ability to selectively archive files using wildcards can streamline your workflow and ensure that only relevant files are included in the zip. By leveraging simple yet powerful shell commands, you can achieve this with minimal effort and maximum efficiency.
Trick One: Adding Only .exe Files to an Archive
Imagine you have a directory containing various file types, but you only want to archive the executable files. Instead of manually specifying each file, you can use the asterisk (*) wildcard to simplify the process. Running the following command in your terminal will create a zip archive named myexe.zip containing only .exe files:
$ zip myexe *.exeThe wildcard *.exe ensures that only files ending in .exe are included. This is particularly useful when dealing with a large number of files, as manually selecting them one by one would be impractical. The output will confirm the addition of each .exe file to the archive.
This method is a great way to isolate and compress executable files, making it easy to share or back them up separately from other file types. Whether you’re handling compiled binaries or application installers, this trick will come in handy.
Trick Two: Adding All Files That Have an Extension
Sometimes, you might want to archive only files that have an extension, while excluding extension-less files such as scripts or configuration files. The following command achieves this goal:
$ zip extonly *.*Here, the *.* wildcard matches any file that contains a dot (.) in its name, which effectively selects all files with an extension. As a result, the archive will include .txt, .exe, .zip, and any other file types present in the directory.
This trick is especially useful when working with mixed file structures where you want to exclude certain files (e.g., temporary or system files that lack an extension). By using this method, you ensure that only files with meaningful extensions are compressed, making it easier to organize and manage them.
Trick Three: Adding All Files in a Directory
If your goal is to archive every file within a directory, regardless of its type or extension, the simplest approach is to use the following command:
$ zip all *Unlike the previous tricks, which target specific file types, this command includes everything—files with extensions, extension-less files, and even subdirectories if they exist. The * wildcard represents all files in the current directory, making it the most inclusive option.
This trick is particularly useful when creating full backups or transferring entire directories. Instead of manually selecting files or writing complex scripts, a single command is enough to package everything into a zip archive efficiently.
Conclusion
Mastering these three zip tricks can greatly enhance your efficiency when working with file compression in the Linux shell. Whether you need to archive specific file types, filter by extensions, or bundle entire directories, these simple yet powerful commands offer a streamlined way to manage zip archives.
The key takeaway is the versatility of the asterisk (*) wildcard, which allows for flexible file selection. By understanding how wildcards interact with shell commands, you can automate file compression tasks and avoid repetitive manual selection. These methods are especially useful for developers, sysadmins, and anyone working with large numbers of files.
If you frequently deal with zip files, incorporating these tricks into your workflow will save time and reduce errors. As you continue exploring the Linux command line, you’ll discover even more ways to optimize your file management processes, making your work more efficient and productive.
