USTAR File – What is .ustar file and how to open it?
USTAR File Extension
Uniform Standard Tape Archive Format File – file format by N/A
USTAR is a file format developed to archive files on magnetic tape. It is a standard format that is supported by many different operating systems and software programs. USTAR files can contain multiple files and directories, and they can be compressed or uncompressed.
Definition of USTAR File Format
A USTAR file is a standardized archive file format for storing a collection of files and directories. It was developed in the early days of Unix operating systems as a way to easily transfer data between different systems and across different types of media, such as magnetic tape and floppy disks. USTAR stands for “Uniform Standard TAR” and is based on the earlier tar (Tape ARchive) format.
USTAR files have a specific structure that includes a header for each file, followed by the file’s data. The header contains information about the file, such as its name, size, and permissions. USTAR files can store both regular files and special files, such as symbolic links and device nodes. They can also support long filenames, extended attributes, and directory hierarchy information.
Opening USTAR Files on Different Platforms
To open USTAR files, different operating systems require distinct approaches. On Windows, you can use WinRAR, 7-Zip, or PeaZip, which are readily available for download. Once installed, right-click on the USTAR file and select the “Extract Here” option to unzip the contents. For Mac users, The Unarchiver utility can efficiently extract USTAR files. Similarly, right-click on the file and choose “Open With” to open it with The Unarchiver.
Online USTAR File Extraction
If you prefer an online approach, websites like Extract.me and Convertio offer file conversion services. Upload the USTAR file to the website, select the “Extract” option, and wait for the process to complete. Once extracted, you can download the unzipped files directly from the website. This method is convenient when you do not want to install software on your computer or if you only need to extract a few files occasionally.
USTAR File Format
USTAR is a file format used to represent hierarchical file systems in a single tape archive. Developed in the 1980s, it has become a standard format for data exchange and backup on Unix-based systems. USTAR archives contain a series of file entries, each representing a file or directory. Each entry includes information such as the filename, file permissions, file size, and file creation time. USTAR archives can be created using various utilities, such as the tar command, and can be read by most Unix and Linux-based systems.
Advantages of USTAR
USTAR offers several advantages over other file archive formats. It is a simple and reliable format, making it easy to create and extract archives. USTAR also supports long filenames and extended file attributes, which allows it to store more complex file structures. Additionally, USTAR archives can be compressed using various compression algorithms, reducing the size of the archive and making it more efficient for storage and transmission.