Decompression is a fundamental task in computing, allowing users to extract files from compressed formats such as .zip, .tar, .gz, and others. On macOS, decompression can be efficiently handled via the Terminal, Apple's command-line interface. This article will guide you through the process of decompressing files using Terminal commands on macOS, highlighting the importance of this skill for managing file storage, transferring data, and maintaining system performance.

Examples:

1. Decompressing a .zip File:

   To decompress a .zip file, you can use the unzip command. Open Terminal and navigate to the directory containing your .zip file:

   cd /path/to/your/file
   unzip yourfile.zip

   This command will extract the contents of yourfile.zip into the current directory.

2. Decompressing a .tar.gz File:

   For .tar.gz files, you can use the tar command. Again, navigate to the directory where your file is located:

   cd /path/to/your/file
   tar -xzvf yourfile.tar.gz

   This command will extract the contents of yourfile.tar.gz into the current directory.

3. Decompressing a .rar File:

   To handle .rar files, you need to install a third-party tool like unrar. You can install it using Homebrew, a package manager for macOS:

   brew install unrar
   cd /path/to/your/file
   unrar x yourfile.rar

   This command will extract the contents of yourfile.rar into the current directory.

4. Decompressing a .7z File:

   Similarly, for .7z files, you need to install p7zip via Homebrew:

   brew install p7zip
   cd /path/to/your/file
   7z x yourfile.7z

   This command will extract the contents of yourfile.7z into the current directory.