CPIO (.cpio, copy in/out) is a Unix archive format that bundles files into a single stream, similar to TAR. It supports multiple binary and ASCII formats and is used in RPM packages and Linux initramfs images.

Are my CPIO files uploaded?

No. Files you open from your device stay on your device and are read locally. Only the public sample archive is requested from the server.

What is the difference between CPIO and TAR?

Both are Unix archive formats. CPIO supports several formats (binary, ASCII newc, CRC) and is used in RPM and initramfs. TAR is more common for general file distribution. Both bundle files without compression.

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CPIO Viewer

Free online CPIO viewer. Open CPIO archives (.cpio) in your browser to list contents — no upload, no extraction.

.cpio

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About this file format

CPIO (.cpio, copy in/out) is a Unix file archive format introduced in the 1970s. It stores files sequentially with headers preserving names, permissions and timestamps, similar to TAR but with different formats (binary, ASCII SVR4/newc, old ASCII). CPIO is the standard format for Linux initramfs images and the payload format inside RPM packages.

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