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bzgrep — Find patterns in `bzip2` compressed files using `grep`. More information: <https://manned.org/bzgrep

Submitted by: @import:tldr-pages·Mar 2, 2026·

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commandfilesfindbzip2patternsclibzgrepcompressed

Problem

How to use the bzgrep command: Find patterns in bzip2 compressed files using grep. More information: <https://manned.org/bzgrep>.

Solution

bzgrep — Find patterns in bzip2 compressed files using grep. More information: <https://manned.org/bzgrep>.

Search for a pattern within a compressed file:

bzgrep "{{search_pattern}}" {{path/to/file}}

Recursively search files in a bzip2 compressed .tar archive for a pattern:

bzgrep {{[-r|--recursive]}} "{{search_pattern}}" {{path/to/tar_file}}

Print 3 lines of [C]ontext around, [B]efore, or [A]fter each match:

bzgrep {{--context|--before-context|--after-context}} 3 "{{search_pattern}}" {{path/to/file}}

Print file name and line number for each match:

bzgrep {{[-H|--with-filename]}} {{[-n|--line-number]}} "{{search_pattern}}" {{path/to/file}}

Search for lines matching a pattern, printing only the matched text:

bzgrep {{[-o|--only-matching]}} "{{search_pattern}}" {{path/to/file}}

Search stdin for lines that do not match a pattern:

cat {{path/to/bz_compressed_file}} | bzgrep {{[-v|--invert-match]}} "{{search_pattern}}"

Use extended regex (supports ?, +, {}, (), and |), in case-insensitive mode:

bzgrep {{[-E|--extended-regexp]}} {{[-i|--ignore-case]}} "{{search_pattern}}" {{path/to/file}}

Code Snippets

Search for a pattern within a compressed file

bzgrep "{{search_pattern}}" {{path/to/file}}

Recursively search files in a bzip2 compressed `.tar` archive for a pattern

bzgrep {{[-r|--recursive]}} "{{search_pattern}}" {{path/to/tar_file}}

Print 3 lines of [C]ontext around, [B]efore, or [A]fter each match

bzgrep {{--context|--before-context|--after-context}} 3 "{{search_pattern}}" {{path/to/file}}

Print file name and line number for each match

bzgrep {{[-H|--with-filename]}} {{[-n|--line-number]}} "{{search_pattern}}" {{path/to/file}}

Search for lines matching a pattern, printing only the matched text

bzgrep {{[-o|--only-matching]}} "{{search_pattern}}" {{path/to/file}}

Context

tldr-pages: common/bzgrep

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