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gnu-tar for Mac

GNU version of the tar archiving utility

Quick answer: gnu-tar is a command-line tool for macOS. Install it with brew install gnu-tar. It is distributed under the GPL-3.0-or-later licence. It has 27,223 Homebrew installs in the last 30 days.

What gnu-tar is

gnu-tar is a command-line tool for macOS: GNU version of the tar archiving utility.

It is distributed as a Homebrew formula, which builds or pours a binary and puts it on your PATH. It is distributed under the GPL-3.0-or-later licence.

How to install gnu-tar

  1. Open Terminal (press ⌘ + Space and type “Terminal”).
  2. If Homebrew is not installed yet, run the installer below once.
  3. Run brew install gnu-tar.

Homebrew installer, if you need it:

Prefer a graphical installer? Download it from the official site. MacPicks never hosts or mirrors binaries — the Homebrew command always pulls from the vendor's own release.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I install gnu-tar on Mac?

Run brew install gnu-tar in Terminal. This requires Homebrew; if you do not have it, install it first with the command below.

Is gnu-tar open source?

Yes — Homebrew distributes it under the GPL-3.0-or-later licence.

Does gnu-tar run on Apple silicon?

Homebrew publishes this formula for macOS. If upstream does not ship an Apple silicon build, Rosetta 2 handles the Intel binary.

How popular is gnu-tar?

It was installed 27,223 times in the last 30 days according to Homebrew analytics, ranking #71 in this catalogue.

What version of gnu-tar is current?

The latest packaged version is 1.35.