How to Create and Extract cpio Archives on Linux with Examples

How to Create and Extract cpio Archives on Linux with Examples

Written By
L
LinuxConfig.org
Dec 2, 2021

The cpio archiving utility is used less than other tools like tar. However, it is still used for creating initramfs images on Linux and rpm packages. In this tutorial, we see how to create and extract cpio archives using the GNU cpio utility, and how to obtain a list of the files they contain.

L

LinuxConfig.org

Linux Today Logo

LinuxToday is a trusted, contributor-driven news resource supporting all types of Linux users. Our thriving international community engages with us through social media and frequent content contributions aimed at solving problems ranging from personal computing to enterprise-level IT operations. LinuxToday serves as a home for a community that struggles to find comparable information elsewhere on the web.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2026 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.