How to multi-format extractor vs unzip / 7z cli / winrar
- Step 1Decide what you actually need — Reading an archive someone sent you? The browser tool wins on privacy and zero-install. Creating, encrypting 7Z, recursing deeply, or scripting? The CLI wins. This step alone resolves most choices.
- Step 2For reading: open the extractor and drop the file — Drag one archive in. Magic-byte detection means the file extension does not have to be correct — equivalent to
7zandunzipboth auto-detecting by content. - Step 3Supply a password for encrypted ZIPs — Fill the optional password field, the browser equivalent of
unzip -Por7z x -p. Works for ZIP only; for encrypted 7Z/RAR fall back to the native CLI. - Step 4Run and compare the entry count — The result panel reports the detected
formatandEntries. Cross-check against7z l/unzip -loutput if you are validating parity with a CLI run. - Step 5Download the repackaged ZIP — Output is a single
<archive>-extracted.zip. Note the difference from CLI tools: the browser tool always re-packages into ZIP rather than writing loose files to a directory. - Step 6Fall back to CLI when a limit bites — Hitting a tier size cap, an encrypted 7Z, or a need to create an archive? Those are exactly the CLI's territory — switch tools rather than fight the limits.
Browser extractor vs CLI tools
Feature parity and gaps. 'Read' means open/extract; 'Write' means create. The browser tool is read-only and outputs a ZIP.
| Capability | JAD Multi-Format Extractor | unzip | 7z / p7zip | WinRAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Install required | None (browser) | Usually preinstalled | Yes | Yes (Windows) |
| Admin rights to install | Never | n/a | Often | Often |
| Files uploaded to a server | No — in-browser | No | No | No |
| Reads ZIP | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reads 7Z | Yes (read-only) | No | Yes | Yes |
| Reads RAR | Yes (read-only) | No | With plugin | Yes |
| Reads TAR / GZ / BZ2 / XZ / ISO | Yes | ZIP only | Yes | Most |
| Decrypt encrypted ZIP | Yes (password field) | Yes (-P) | Yes (-p) | Yes |
| Decrypt encrypted 7Z / RAR | No | n/a | Yes | Yes |
| Create / write archives | No (read-only) | No | Yes | Yes |
| Deep nested recursion | One level | Manual | Manual | Manual |
| Scriptable / automatable | No public API | Yes | Yes | Yes (rar.exe) |
When to reach for which
Decision shortcuts keyed to the real strengths and limits of each tool.
| Situation | Best tool | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Confidential archive, no install allowed | Browser extractor | Zero install, no upload, works offline |
| Need to create a 7Z / RAR | 7-Zip / WinRAR | Browser tool only reads, never writes those formats |
| Encrypted 7Z to decrypt | 7-Zip / p7zip | libarchive in-browser is read-only with no passphrase |
| Open a RAR but WinRAR not installed | Browser extractor | Reads RAR via libarchive without WinRAR |
| Archive > your tier size cap | CLI | No 50 MB / 500 MB / 2 GB ceiling |
| Pull one file by pattern | selective-extractor | Glob-based extraction, browser-side |
| Batch over a folder of archives | batch-extraction-manager | Multi-file, browser-side |
Cookbook
Concrete parity checks: the same archive run through a CLI command and through the browser tool, plus the cases where they diverge.
Reading a 7z: browser vs p7zip
The browser tool reads a plain 7Z exactly like 7z x. Both yield the same files; the browser tool wraps them in a ZIP rather than writing them loose.
CLI: $ 7z x release.7z -o./out Everything is Ok (84 files) Browser: Drop release.7z format: 7z Entries: 84 Download: release-extracted.zip (84 files under release/)
Encrypted ZIP: equivalent, both succeed
Password-protected ZIP decrypts in both. unzip -P matches the browser tool's password field (zip.js).
CLI: $ unzip -P 'hunter2' secret.zip Browser: Drop secret.zip, password: hunter2 Engine: @zip.js/zip.js format: zip Entries: 5
Encrypted 7Z: CLI wins
Here the tools diverge. The CLI decrypts an encrypted 7Z; the browser tool cannot, because libarchive opens read-only with no passphrase.
CLI: $ 7z x -p'hunter2' vault.7z → Everything is Ok Browser: Drop vault.7z ✗ passphrase required — cannot decrypt encrypted 7Z here → decrypt with 7-Zip, or re-pack as an encrypted ZIP
Creating an archive: CLI only
The browser extractor is read-only. To CREATE a ZIP from files in-browser, use a sibling tool; to create 7Z/RAR you need the CLI.
Create a ZIP in CLI: $ zip -r out.zip ./folder Browser equivalent (creation): /archive-tools/folder-to-zip ← builds a ZIP (this extractor does not create archives)
Nested archive: CLI recurses, browser does one level
A ZIP-inside-a-ZIP. The CLI can script repeated extraction; the browser extractor returns the inner archive as a file (one level), or use the nested-archive-extractor sibling.
CLI (two passes): $ unzip outer.zip && unzip inner.zip Browser: Drop outer.zip → output contains inner.zip (one level) For auto-recursion: /archive-tools/nested-archive-extractor
Edge cases and what actually happens
Need to create a 7Z or RAR
UnsupportedThe browser extractor only reads. It never writes 7Z or RAR. Use 7-Zip / WinRAR for creation; for browser-side ZIP creation use the folder-to-zip sibling at /archive-tools/folder-to-zip.
Encrypted 7Z / RAR
CLI requiredlibarchive WASM opens read-only without a passphrase, so encrypted 7Z/RAR cannot be decrypted in-browser. The password field only serves the ZIP path. Decrypt with the native CLI.
Archive larger than the tier cap
Limit exceededThe CLI has no size limit; the browser tool caps at 50 MB (Free), 500 MB (Pro), or 2 GB (Pro-media / Developer) per file. Beyond that, use the CLI or split the archive first.
Scripting / CI pipeline
No public APIArchive tools are browser-only with apiAvailable: false — there is no REST endpoint to script. On Pro+ tiers the @jadapps/runner can execute via a headless browser, but for plain CI scripting the CLI is the right fit.
Deeply nested archives
One levelThe CLI lets you loop until nothing is left. The extractor does a single level; use the nested-archive-extractor at /archive-tools/nested-archive-extractor for bounded recursion in the browser.
Confidential data, no install allowed
Browser winsOn a locked-down or borrowed machine where you cannot install software, the browser tool extracts without admin rights and without uploading — something the CLI cannot do if it is not installed.
WASM blocked
Engine load failedIf a browser extension blocks WebAssembly, 7Z/RAR/BZ2/XZ/ISO fail to load the engine where a native CLI would not. ZIP/GZIP/TAR still work via pure-JS fflate.
Output format expectation
By designThe CLI writes loose files to a directory; the browser tool always repackages into a single <archive>-extracted.zip. If you need loose files, unzip the result locally afterwards.
RAR creation
Unsupported anywhere hereRAR is a proprietary write format. Neither this tool nor any JAD archive tool creates RAR (even the CLI needs WinRAR's rar.exe, not the free unrar).
Version-skew across machines
Browser winsDifferent unzip/7z versions across macOS, Linux, and Windows can behave subtly differently. The browser tool's engines are pinned, so behaviour is identical everywhere.
Frequently asked questions
Is the browser tool as private as a local CLI?
Yes. Both decode locally and upload nothing. The browser tool reads files with FileReader and runs fflate / @zip.js/zip.js / libarchive WASM in the tab — there is no server-side extraction path at all.
Can it fully replace 7-Zip?
For reading, mostly — it opens 7Z, RAR, TAR, GZ, BZ2, XZ, ISO, and ZIP. It cannot replace 7-Zip for creating archives or decrypting encrypted 7Z, which remain CLI-only.
Does it read RAR like WinRAR?
It reads (extracts) RAR via libarchive without WinRAR installed. It is read-only — it never creates RAR — and it cannot decrypt password-protected RAR.
Why does my encrypted 7z fail when the CLI handles it?
libarchive in the browser is opened read-only with no passphrase, so encrypted 7Z/RAR cannot be decrypted. The password field is wired to the ZIP engine (zip.js) only. Use the CLI for encrypted 7Z/RAR.
Is there an API so I can use it in scripts?
No public REST API — archive tools are browserOnly with apiAvailable: false. Pro+ tiers can route jobs to the local @jadapps/runner via a headless browser, but for plain scripting the CLI is the better fit.
Which is faster?
For small/medium archives the difference is negligible. The CLI is faster on very large archives and avoids the one-time libarchive WASM load. The browser tool's first 7Z/RAR/BZ2/XZ/ISO of a session pays that load cost once.
How do I create a ZIP if this tool only reads?
Use the folder-to-zip sibling at /archive-tools/folder-to-zip, or the encrypted-zip-creator at /archive-tools/encrypted-zip-creator for a password-protected ZIP.
Can it extract just specific files like `unzip foo.zip path/to/file`?
Not this tool — it extracts everything. The selective-extractor at /archive-tools/selective-extractor takes a glob pattern to pull just matching files, the browser equivalent of selective unzip.
What about batch-processing many archives like a shell loop?
Use the batch-extraction-manager at /archive-tools/batch-extraction-manager, which accepts multiple files. This single extractor processes one archive per run.
Does it support split / multi-part archives like `7z x part.001`?
This extractor takes one file. For splitting and re-joining multi-part archives, see archive-splitter at /archive-tools/archive-splitter and archive-merger at /archive-tools/archive-merger.
Will it work the same on macOS, Windows, and Linux?
Yes — the engines are pinned versions running in the browser, so there is no version skew like you get between different unzip/7z builds across OSes.
Is the output identical to a CLI extraction?
The same files come out, but the browser tool repackages them into a single ZIP under a <archive>/ folder rather than writing loose files. The file contents are byte-identical; only the packaging differs.
Privacy first
Every JAD Archive tool runs entirely in your browser using fflate, @zip.js/zip.js, and the libarchive WASM bridge. Your archives never leave your device — verified by zero outbound network requests during processing.