zip and unzip in Linux CLI - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

💻 Command Output

intermediate

What is the output of listing files after zipping?

You have a directory with files: file1.txt, file2.txt, and file3.txt. You run the command zip archive.zip file1.txt file2.txt. Then you run ls archive.zip. What is the output?

Linux CLI

zip archive.zip file1.txt file2.txt
ls archive.zip

A No such file or directory

B file1.txt file2.txt

C archive.zip file1.txt file2.txt

D archive.zip

💡 Hint

The ls command lists files and directories by name.

The zip command creates a compressed file named archive.zip. The ls archive.zip command lists that file by its name only.

💻 Command Output

intermediate

What happens when you unzip a file into a directory?

You have a zip file named docs.zip containing files readme.md and guide.pdf. You run unzip docs.zip -d extracted_docs. What will be the result?

Linux CLI

unzip docs.zip -d extracted_docs
ls extracted_docs

A docs.zip

B readme.md guide.pdf

C extracted_docs

D No such file or directory

💡 Hint

The -d option specifies the directory to extract files into.

The unzip command extracts the contents of docs.zip into the directory extracted_docs. Listing that directory shows the extracted files.

📝 Syntax

advanced

Which command correctly creates a zip archive including all files in a directory?

You want to create a zip file named backup.zip that contains all files inside the directory project. Which command is correct?

A zip -r backup.zip project

B zip backup.zip project/*

C zip backup.zip -r project

D zip backup.zip project

💡 Hint

The -r option means recursive, to include directories and their contents.

Option A uses -r correctly to include the entire project directory recursively. Option A only includes files in project root, not subdirectories. Option A has wrong option order. Option A includes only the directory entry, not contents.

🔧 Debug

advanced

Why does this unzip command fail with 'cannot find or open' error?

You run the command unzip myfiles.zip -d /home/user/docs but get the error: cannot find or open myfiles.zip, myfiles.zip.zip or myfiles.zip.ZIP. What is the likely cause?

Linux CLI

unzip myfiles.zip -d /home/user/docs

A The file myfiles.zip does not exist in the current directory

B The destination directory /home/user/docs does not exist

C The unzip command requires sudo privileges

D The -d option is used incorrectly

💡 Hint

Check if the zip file is in the current folder where you run the command.

The error means unzip cannot find the zip file to open. This usually happens if the file is missing or the path is wrong. The -d option and permissions are not the cause here.

🚀 Application

expert

How to create a zip archive excluding certain file types?

You want to zip all files in the current directory but exclude all .log files. Which command achieves this?

A zip -r archive.zip . --ignore='*.log'

B zip archive.zip * --exclude='*.log'

C zip -r archive.zip . -x '*.log'

D zip archive.zip . -exclude '*.log'

💡 Hint

The -x option excludes files matching a pattern.

Option C correctly uses -r for recursion and -x '*.log' to exclude .log files. Other options use invalid or unsupported flags.

Practice

1. What does the zip command do in Linux?

easy

A. It extracts files from a compressed archive.

B. It compresses one or more files into a single archive file.

C. It lists the contents of a directory.

D. It deletes files permanently.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of zip

   The zip command is used to compress files into one archive to save space or organize files.

2. Step 2: Differentiate from other commands

   unzip extracts files, ls lists files, and rm deletes files, so these are not correct.

3. Final Answer:

   It compresses one or more files into a single archive file. -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   zip = compress files [OK]

Hint: Zip means pack files together into one compressed file [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing zip with unzip command
• Thinking zip lists files
• Assuming zip deletes files

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to create a zip archive named archive.zip including all files in the folder docs recursively?

easy

A. zip -r archive.zip docs

B. zip -x archive.zip docs

C. unzip -r archive.zip docs

D. zip archive.zip docs

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the option for recursive zip

   The -r option tells zip to include folders and their contents recursively.

2. Step 2: Check command correctness

   zip -r archive.zip docs correctly creates the archive including all files inside docs. Other options are incorrect or for unzip.

3. Final Answer:

   zip -r archive.zip docs -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Use -r to zip folders recursively [OK]

Hint: Use -r option with zip to include folders recursively [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using unzip instead of zip to create archive
• Forgetting -r to include folders
• Using -x which excludes files

3. What will be the output of the command unzip -l archive.zip?

medium

A. It lists the contents of archive.zip without extracting.

B. It deletes archive.zip after listing contents.

C. It extracts all files from archive.zip to current directory.

D. It compresses files into archive.zip.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the -l option in unzip

   The -l option lists the files inside the zip archive without extracting them.

2. Step 2: Differentiate from other actions

   Extracting files uses unzip without -l, deleting is not done by unzip, and compressing is done by zip, not unzip.

3. Final Answer:

   It lists the contents of archive.zip without extracting. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   unzip -l lists archive contents [OK]

Hint: Use unzip -l to peek inside zip without extracting [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking unzip -l extracts files
• Confusing zip and unzip commands
• Assuming unzip deletes files

4. You run unzip archive.zip but get an error saying "cannot find or open archive.zip". What is the most likely cause?

medium

A. The zip archive is corrupted and cannot be opened.

B. You used the wrong command; unzip cannot extract files.

C. The archive.zip file does not exist in the current directory.

D. You need to use the -r option with unzip to extract.

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze the error message

   "cannot find or open archive.zip" means the file is missing or path is wrong.

2. Step 2: Check command and options

   unzip is correct to extract files; no -r option is needed. Corruption would give a different error.

3. Final Answer:

   The archive.zip file does not exist in the current directory. -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   File missing causes cannot find error [OK]

Hint: Check file exists in current folder before unzip [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming unzip command is wrong
• Using -r option with unzip incorrectly
• Ignoring file location or name typos

5. You want to create a zip archive named backup.zip that includes all files and folders inside project, but exclude all .log files. Which command will do this correctly?

hard

A. zip backup.zip project/*.log

B. unzip -r backup.zip project -x '*.log'

C. zip -r backup.zip project --exclude '*.log'

D. zip -r backup.zip project -x '*.log'

Solution

1. Step 1: Use recursive zip with exclusion

   The -r option includes folders recursively, and -x '*.log' excludes all .log files.

2. Step 2: Validate command correctness

   zip -r backup.zip project -x '*.log' uses correct syntax. zip backup.zip project/*.log only zips .log files, C uses invalid --exclude, and D uses unzip which cannot create archives.

3. Final Answer:

   zip -r backup.zip project -x '*.log' -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Use -r to recurse and -x to exclude files [OK]

Hint: Use -x '*.ext' to exclude files when zipping recursively [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using unzip instead of zip to create archive
• Wrong exclude syntax like --exclude
• Not using -r to include folders