- A
tar -cjvf archive.tar.bz2 project
Why wrong: Uses bzip2 compression, not gzip.
- B
tar -czvf archive.tar.gz project
Creates a gzip-compressed tarball.
- C
tar -cJvf archive.tar.xz project
Why wrong: Uses xz compression, not gzip.
- D
tar -cvf archive.tar project
Why wrong: Creates an uncompressed tarball.
Question 498 of 513
LFCS tar -czvf Practice Question
This LFCS practice question tests your understanding of essential commands. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. A key principle to apply: tar -czvf. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
An administrator needs to compress a directory named 'project' into a tarball with maximum compression using gzip. Which command is appropriate?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"which command"Why it matters: Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
tar -czvf archive.tar.gz project
Option B is correct because the `-z` flag tells tar to compress the archive using gzip, and the `-c` flag creates a new archive. The `-v` flag provides verbose output, and `-f` specifies the archive filename. The `.tar.gz` extension is the conventional extension for a gzip-compressed tarball, and gzip offers maximum compression among the commonly used Unix compression tools (though it is slower than gzip's default level, the question implies using gzip itself, not a different algorithm).
Key principle: tar -czvf
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
tar -cjvf archive.tar.bz2 project
Why it's wrong here
Uses bzip2 compression, not gzip.
- ✓
tar -czvf archive.tar.gz project
Why this is correct
Creates a gzip-compressed tarball.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "which command" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
tar -czvf
- ✗
tar -cJvf archive.tar.xz project
Why it's wrong here
Uses xz compression, not gzip.
- ✗
tar -cvf archive.tar project
Why it's wrong here
Creates an uncompressed tarball.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the compression flags (`-z` for gzip, `-j` for bzip2, `-J` for xz) and may pick option A or C thinking they provide 'maximum compression' without realizing the question specifically requires gzip, not just any compression.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, `tar -czvf` pipes the tar archive through gzip, which uses the DEFLATE algorithm (LZ77 + Huffman coding) to compress the data. The `-z` flag is equivalent to using `gzip` as a filter; tar itself does not compress, it only bundles files. In real-world scenarios, gzip is often preferred for its balance of speed and compression ratio, but for maximum compression with gzip, you would use `gzip -9` (which tar does not expose directly via `-z`; you would need to pipe through `gzip -9` manually).
KKey Concepts to Remember
- tar -czvf
- -z flag
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
tar -czvf
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the LFCS exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. tar -czvf Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review tar -czvf, then practise related LFCS questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this LFCS question test?
Essential Commands — This question tests Essential Commands — tar -czvf.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: tar -czvf archive.tar.gz project — Option B is correct because the `-z` flag tells tar to compress the archive using gzip, and the `-c` flag creates a new archive. The `-v` flag provides verbose output, and `-f` specifies the archive filename. The `.tar.gz` extension is the conventional extension for a gzip-compressed tarball, and gzip offers maximum compression among the commonly used Unix compression tools (though it is slower than gzip's default level, the question implies using gzip itself, not a different algorithm).
What should I do if I get this LFCS question wrong?
Review tar -czvf, then practise related LFCS questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "which command". Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
What is the key concept behind this question?
tar -czvf
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
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