What does this archive inspector do?
Use this read-only tool to list entries in .zip, .tar, .gz, .tgz, or .gzip files in your browser. It reports paths, file and directory types, sizes, methods, timestamps, and selected warning indicators. It does not extract files to disk, modify archives, repair them, or create new ones.
How to inspect an archive
- Drop a supported archive onto the drop zone, or click browse file.
- Review the summary cards and the size distribution.
- Search by path or use the entry type and flag filters to narrow the entry table.
- Click CSV or JSON to export the full entry report.
What gets reported for each entry
The table shows each path, file or directory type, nesting depth, uncompressed size, compressed size where available, compression ratio where available, method, and timestamp where provided. TAR entries have no compressed-size or ratio value, and directories can show unavailable size fields.
Flags identify Duplicate paths, encrypted entries, Unsafe path values such as ../ segments, absolute paths, or drive letters, and Malformed entries. Parser notes can also report structural warnings or an unrecognized top-level format; there is no general unsupported-entry flag.
Nested archives and parser limits
Recognized archive members can be listed as nested content and are marked with their parent archive and depth. The parser follows up to 3 nesting levels. ZIP nested-member eligibility is checked against compressed size; TAR and GZIP use the stored or reported uncompressed size. These checks use a threshold of roughly 75 MB. Eligible Deflate or GZIP members may be decompressed in browser memory only to list their contents. Listing stops at 50,000 entries.
Summary cards and size distribution
The cards show entries, files, directories, uncompressed total, maximum nesting depth, and counts for nested archives, duplicate paths, encrypted entries, unsafe paths, and malformed entries. Compressed total and overall ratio appear where compressed-size data is available; TAR results can show N/A. The size distribution groups files by uncompressed size.
Search, filters, and exports
The Search entries by path… field matches path substrings. Choose an entry type and optionally combine flag checkboxes. Reset filters returns to the complete entry list without removing the archive. Use CSV or JSON to export the full report.
Limitations and local processing
The selected file is read with File.arrayBuffer() and parsed in browser memory. The implementation does not upload the archive or write extracted content to disk, but memory use depends on the device. The nesting, nested-processing, and entry-listing limits reduce work without guaranteeing immunity from resource exhaustion or browser impact.
This is not a malware scanner or an overall integrity checker. ZIP CRC values may be reported but are not verified. TAR header checksums are used while parsing TAR headers, but the tool does not verify overall archive integrity.
Frequently asked questions
Does this tool extract or unzip my archive?
No. Normal listing reads archive metadata such as central directories and headers. Eligible nested members may be decompressed in browser memory to list their contents, but extracted files are not written to disk and the archive is not modified.
Which archive formats are supported?
ZIP, TAR, GZIP, and TAR.GZ/TGZ are explicitly supported. Other formats such as RAR, 7z, or BZIP2-compressed tarballs are not parsed and will be reported as unrecognized.
Is this a virus scanner or integrity checker?
No. This tool reports structural and compression metadata. It does not scan file content for malware, verify ZIP CRC values, or perform overall archive integrity checking. TAR header checksums are used during TAR parsing.
Does it upload my archive anywhere?
No. The file is read and parsed entirely in your browser using the File API. Nothing is sent to a server.