When you need TXZ to TGZ
TXZ (TAR.XZ) compresses data very well, but it is not supported everywhere. TGZ (TAR.GZ) is the classic Linux archive format, supported on literally any Unix system of the past decades: any Linux distribution, macOS, and embedded systems with a minimal set of utilities.
Moving from TXZ to TGZ makes sense when an archive must open on old or minimal systems, in scripts and build pipelines that expect tar.gz, or when extraction happens frequently and speed matters more than compactness.
File contents do not change when repacking. Linux attributes are preserved - permissions, owner identifiers, and symbolic and hard links.
What changes after conversion
TGZ uses gzip - an algorithm that is fast and widespread, but compresses less tightly than xz. After conversion the archive will be larger: for text, code, and documents the difference can be noticeable. Already-compressed media files - photos, video - will barely change in any case.
In return, you get an archive that opens with tar -xzf on any Unix system without installing anything extra, and extracts faster than TXZ.
If the TXZ archive is password-protected, the password will be needed to access the contents.
When this is especially useful
- The archive needs to go to an old server or system without xz support.
- A script, build system, or CI pipeline expects tar.gz.
- The archive is extracted regularly and speed matters.
- An embedded device or minimal Linux image does not have the xz utility.
- Maximum compatibility in a Unix environment is needed without extra dependencies.
Common tasks and search situations
- convert tar.xz to tar.gz online;
- txz to tgz free;
- tar.xz to tar.gz without software;
- repack tar xz to tar gz for ci;
- txz to tgz for a script;
- tar.xz won't open on old linux;
- change compression from xz to gzip online.
What to check before conversion
- Note that TGZ will be larger than TXZ - gzip compresses less tightly than xz.
- Check the password if the archive is protected.
- Make sure the goal is compatibility or speed, not space savings.
- After conversion, verify that all files inside the archive are present.
Format and conversion limits
gzip compresses less tightly than xz - that is the main trade-off. For text and code the size difference can be noticeable. The benefit of TGZ is extraction speed and universality in the Unix world.
If the original TXZ is damaged, some data may not extract.
Related tasks
For maximum compatibility with Windows without software, see TXZ to ZIP. For compatibility with old Unix systems while keeping better compression than gzip, see TXZ to TBZ2. To strip compression entirely, use TXZ to TAR.
What is TXZ to TGZ conversion used for
Compatibility with an old server
If the server does not support xz, TGZ opens with standard utilities without any additional installation.
Build pipeline and CI
Many build systems and automation tools expect tar.gz. TGZ will be accepted without any extra configuration.
Embedded devices
Routers, IoT devices, and minimal Linux images with busybox can work with gzip, but not always with xz.
Regularly extracted archives
If an archive is unpacked frequently in an automated process, the speed of gzip is a meaningful advantage.
Tips for converting TXZ to TGZ
TGZ will be larger than TXZ
gzip compresses less tightly than xz. For text and code the size difference can be noticeable. Consider whether changing the format is worth it if space matters.
On Windows a program is still needed
TGZ is a Unix format. On Windows it opens through 7-Zip or WinRAR, not with built-in tools. For a Windows audience, ZIP is more convenient.
Keep the original TXZ
If the contents are important, do not delete the original TXZ until you have verified the TGZ result.