Reading Unix Compressed files without uncompressing them using Zcat, Zless, Zgrep, Zdiff

 

Mostly we have situation that we  need to  see content  of compressed  files without actually  uncompressing it . This  can be achieved using Z commands 

Below are options using z commands 

Viewing the compressed file with zcat.

Paging the compressed file with zless / zmore.

Searching inside the compressed file with zgrep / zegrep.

Comparison of file using zdiff / zcmp

Below are examples : 

$ zcat big-file.txt.gz 

[Note: View the file without uncompressing it]

zcat big-file.txt.gz > big-file.txt

[Note: Uncompress the file]

$ zcat filename.gz | more

$ zcat filename.gz | less

(or)

$ zless filename.gz

$ zmore filename.gz

$ zgrep -i less test-file.txt.gz

$ zdiff file1.txt.gz file2.txt.gz