How to setup zip and unzip in Linux

The zip utility creates ZIP archives, while unzip lists and extracts them. Install the tools appropriate to your Linux distribution when they are not already available.

Check and install the utilities

Check for existing commands:

command -v zip
command -v unzip

On a server you administer running Debian or Ubuntu:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install zip unzip

On supported Fedora or RHEL-family systems using DNF:

sudo dnf install zip unzip

Older supported installations may use yum. Shared-hosting users should ask the provider for missing tools rather than attempting system installations.

Verify the installation

Run:

zip -v
unzip -v

Create or inspect an archive

For example, archive a selected project directory:

zip -r project-backup.zip project/

Check an archive before extraction:

unzip -l project-backup.zip

Extract into a fresh, private directory and check for existing files before allowing overwrites. A ZIP archive is not automatically an encrypted backup, and compression may save little space for already compressed files.