Arc
Two File TAR
Two File TAR is a Tape Archive sample generated for file format testing. It can be used to test downloads, parsers, previews, and file type detection.
two-files.tarType Sample
3.0 KB DownloadArchive
TAR Tape Archive
Tape Archive is a archive format commonly identified by .tar. Use the listed signatures, MIME types, and structure notes to validate files beyond the extension.
Extensions .tar
MIME application/x-tar
Magic numbers
Analyze your fileoffset 257 Tape Archive signature at byte offset 257
75 73 74 61 72 ustarStructure
- File header block
- File data blocks
- Padding
- Zero blocks
Caveats
- Do not trust the extension alone. Check the MIME type, the first bytes such as 75 73 74 61 72, and format-specific structure when possible.
- Container formats and damaged files can share the same opening bytes, so deeper validation may be required for production upload, preview, or conversion flows.
Detection example
SIGNATURE = bytes.fromhex("7573746172")
OFFSET = 257
def is_tar(path: str) -> bool:
with open(path, "rb") as f:
f.seek(OFFSET)
head = f.read(len(SIGNATURE))
return head == SIGNATUREconst SIGNATURE = [0x75, 0x73, 0x74, 0x61, 0x72];
const OFFSET = 257;
// bytes: a Uint8Array / Buffer holding the start of the file
export function isTar(bytes) {
return SIGNATURE.every((byte, i) => bytes[OFFSET + i] === byte);
}package fileid
import "bytes"
var istarSignature = []byte{0x75, 0x73, 0x74, 0x61, 0x72}
const istarOffset = 257
func IsTar(b []byte) bool {
end := istarOffset + len(istarSignature)
if len(b) < end {
return false
}
return bytes.Equal(b[istarOffset:end], istarSignature)
}const SIGNATURE: &[u8] = &[0x75, 0x73, 0x74, 0x61, 0x72];
const OFFSET: usize = 257;
fn is_tar(bytes: &[u8]) -> bool {
bytes.get(OFFSET..OFFSET + SIGNATURE.len()) == Some(SIGNATURE)
}<?php
$signature = "\x75\x73\x74\x61\x72";
$offset = 257;
function is_tar(string $bytes): bool {
global $signature, $offset;
return substr($bytes, $offset, strlen($signature)) === $signature;
}Practical usage
Use cases
Tape Archive is used for compression, extraction, backups, attachments, and multi-file inspection. Validate paths, file counts, compressed size, and extracted size before unpacking.
Common detection mistakes
- The .tar extension alone does not prove the file contents. Upload and conversion flows should combine extension, MIME type, leading bytes, and format-specific structure checks.
- Tape Archive can start with signatures such as 75 73 74 61 72, but related containers and damaged files may require additional validation.
Security notes
Archives can contain zip-slip paths, excessive expansion, hidden files, and double extensions. Normalize extraction paths and enforce file count and size limits.
Using samples
11 samples help test leading-byte detection, parser errors, upload limits, and download behavior.
Sample files
11 / 11 filesArc
Blue Sky TAR
Blue Sky TAR is a Tape Archive sample based on Wikimedia Commons. It can be used to test downloads, parsers, previews, and file type detection.
01-blue-sky.tarType Sample
3.0 KB SHA-256
4f2498abfbfb9ee74180bf3a02b3a8f976fd16dc33c134c4c307529d46665609Arc
Flower Garden TAR
Flower Garden TAR is a Tape Archive sample based on Wikimedia Commons. It can be used to test downloads, parsers, previews, and file type detection.
02-flower-garden.tarType Sample
4.0 KB SHA-256
ff19afd6572cafd772d5a916145fac852e97180fd8b2c0ab8b2bd05509c82a55Arc
Navy Blue Sky TAR
Navy Blue Sky TAR is a Tape Archive sample based on Wikimedia Commons. It can be used to test downloads, parsers, previews, and file type detection.
03-navy-blue-sky.tarType Sample
5.5 KB SHA-256
033cb4ba37d05f5256393369723ef400609baca455d8a72d53c145097a4e7c2cArc
Nature of the Sky TAR
Nature of the Sky TAR is a Tape Archive sample based on Wikimedia Commons. It can be used to test downloads, parsers, previews, and file type detection.
04-nature-sky.tarType Sample
6.5 KB SHA-256
248e75969993dea282935a0309e494434cc97dfaa6b088cf22e216319771a9ddArc
Sky Landscape TAR
Sky Landscape TAR is a Tape Archive sample based on Wikimedia Commons. It can be used to test downloads, parsers, previews, and file type detection.
05-sky-landscape.tarType Sample
7.5 KB SHA-256
37f26144c9d8cab02adcce041bc704ca1c62f8dfbf371cfc4f36a16c73e7b8ccArc
Starry Sky TAR
Starry Sky TAR is a Tape Archive sample based on Wikimedia Commons. It can be used to test downloads, parsers, previews, and file type detection.
06-starry-sky.tarType Sample
8.5 KB SHA-256
f6a45473e6b56103b67b0dd72518b907b4c1c1cb2ab885e484625000a655118aArc
Blue Night Sky TAR
Blue Night Sky TAR is a Tape Archive sample based on Wikimedia Commons. It can be used to test downloads, parsers, previews, and file type detection.
07-blue-night-sky.tarType Sample
9.5 KB SHA-256
c4a343ba04c0a27cd56fa9d5da7acfda7bd6165e1f68b9921f7aabaa45729030Arc
Hibiscus Flower TAR
Hibiscus Flower TAR is a Tape Archive sample based on Wikimedia Commons. It can be used to test downloads, parsers, previews, and file type detection.
08-hibiscus-flower.tarType Sample
12 KB SHA-256
0b5000a03369440888b0a8af7bf783f0b349ccc83a44e48c5a1c76f7ca9d513aArc
Arctic Sky TAR
Arctic Sky TAR is a Tape Archive sample based on Wikimedia Commons. It can be used to test downloads, parsers, previews, and file type detection.
09-arctic-sky.tarType Sample
12 KB SHA-256
bff79945ec6c8e58b31a7dc7061bd11ca8eca8b8c11f90920c8c4dfc9fdacc17Arc
NASA Blue Marble TAR
NASA Blue Marble TAR is a Tape Archive sample based on NASA Image and Video Library. It can be used to test downloads, parsers, previews, and file type detection.
nasa-blue-marble-2012-east.tarType Sample
19 KB SHA-256
5314e1c9674de2f0f3f14d952c33991501d04c902b6f5fa22dc70760bac6da35Frequently asked questions
What is the magic number (file signature) of Tape Archive?
Tape Archive files begin with the byte signature 75 73 74 61 72 ("ustar"). Detect the format by reading these leading bytes rather than trusting the file extension alone.
What is the MIME type of Tape Archive?
The MIME type for Tape Archive is application/x-tar.
What file extension does Tape Archive use?
Tape Archive files use the .tar extension. The extension is a convention only and does not guarantee the file contents, so combine it with signature and structure checks.