Tgz vs Zip for npm Packages | Generated by AI
The main differences between .tgz and .zip for npm packages:
Format & Compression
.tgz: A tarball compressed with gzip (tar.gz). This is npm’s native format..zip: A zip archive, more common in Windows environments.
npm Usage
.tgz: The standard format created bynpm pack. When you run this command, npm creates a.tgzfile of your package..zip: Not natively supported by npm commands, though you can manually create one.
Installation
Both can be installed, but with different syntax:
npm install package.tgz
npm install package.zip
Key Practical Differences
File permissions: .tgz preserves Unix file permissions and symbolic links, which .zip doesn’t always handle well. This matters for packages with executable scripts.
Consistency: .tgz is what npm’s registry uses internally. When you publish to npm, it’s stored as a tarball.
Cross-platform: .zip is more familiar to Windows users, but .tgz works fine across all platforms with modern npm.
When to Use Each
- Use
.tgzfor standard npm workflows (packing, sharing, installing packages) - Use
.ziponly if you have a specific reason, like distributing to non-developers who might not have tar extraction tools
For npm package development and distribution, stick with .tgz — it’s the standard and avoids potential compatibility issues.