How to Programmatically Unzip .ZIP Files in .NET?

Unzipping Archives Programmatically in .NET

Unzipping compressed archives is a common task in software development. Despite the misconception that .zip and .gz files are interchangeable, they are distinct file formats with different compression methods. This article explains how to unzip .zip files programmatically in .NET, without relying on external libraries or applications.

Using .NET 4.5

From .NET 4.5 onward, the framework includes a built-in class, System.IO.Compression.ZipFile, for handling .zip archives. To use this class:

1. Create a ZIP File:

   string startPath = @"c:\example\start";
   string zipPath = @"c:\example\result.zip";
   
   // Create a ZIP file from the specified directory
   System.IO.Compression.ZipFile.CreateFromDirectory(startPath, zipPath);

2. Extract a ZIP File:

   string extractPath = @"c:\example\extract";
   
   // Extract the contents of the ZIP file to the specified directory
   System.IO.Compression.ZipFile.ExtractToDirectory(zipPath, extractPath);

Add a reference to the assembly System.IO.Compression.FileSystem.dll for the ZipFile class to be available.

Additional Considerations

• For versions of .NET prior to 4.5, third-party libraries can be used for ZIP file manipulation.
• Some archives may be password-protected. In such cases, additional mechanisms are required to provide the password.
• Ensure that the paths specified for extraction and creation are valid and accessible.

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