Blog
Plain explanations of how archives work, written by the people who build Haven Zip.
How to verify that a web app never uploads your files
"We don't store your files" is a promise. "No request carries your file" is a fact you can check in two minutes with the browser's own tools. Here is how.
· 2 min read
Is it safe to open this archive? A practical checklist
Zip bombs, double extensions, nested archives and password-protected malware: the tricks attackers use with archives, and how to inspect one before extracting.
· 2 min read
tar.gz explained: why Linux uses two tools for one job
A .tar.gz is a tape archive wrapped in gzip. Why the split exists, what it costs and gains, and how tar.xz and tar.zst fit in.
· 2 min read
DOCX, APK, JAR, EPUB: the ZIP files you use every day
Dozens of file types are ZIP archives in disguise. What is inside a Word document or an Android app, how to look, and what you can safely change.
· 2 min read
Password-protected ZIP: ZipCrypto vs AES-256, and why it matters
Not all ZIP passwords are equal: classic ZIP encryption breaks in minutes, AES-256 does not. How to tell which one you have and create the right kind.
· 2 min read
The ZIP format is older than the web. Here is why it still wins
From a 1989 court fight over ARC to the format inside every DOCX and APK: how ZIP was designed, why it survived, and what its quirks still mean today.
· 2 min read
ZIP vs 7z vs RAR: what actually differs
Three archive formats, three different histories. Compression ratio, encryption, licensing and compatibility compared in practical terms.
· 2 min read
Why is my ZIP file bigger than the files inside it?
Zipping photos or videos and getting a larger file is normal. Here is what compression can and cannot do, and how to pick the right settings.
· 2 min read