Why .tar.zst Files Exist and Why macOS Struggles to Open Them

·1 views

Files ending in .tar.zst combine two separate tools: TAR bundles files and folders into a single archive, while Zstandard (.zst) compresses that bundle for faster, efficient storage and transfer. Unlike ZIP, which handles both archiving and compression in one format, Zstandard is a compression-only tool, making the two-step .tar.zst combination necessary. The format is popular for large backups, datasets, and software packages due to its strong compression ratio and high decompression speed. However, macOS cannot natively handle the Zstandard layer, meaning double-clicking a .tar.zst file in Finder fails even though the system can read standard TAR archives. Users must either run two separate command-line steps after installing a Zstandard utility, or use a third-party app like unpackZST to automate the full extraction process.

Read the full story at DEV Community

This is an AI-generated summary. ShortSingh links to the original source for the complete article.

Discussion (0)

OpenAI Interviews Test Your AI Worldview, Not Just Coding Skills

OpenAI's interview process differs significantly from standard big-tech hiring loops, emphasizing a candidate's genuine perspective on AI's trajectory alongside technical ability. The loop is decentralized, meaning rounds vary by team and sometimes even between candidates applying for the same role. Team matching and final leveling are determined only after an offer is made, and candidates are warned that downleveling relative to their current title is common. Even the initial recruiter screen probes a candidate's views on where AI is heading, not just their background. Because OpenAI does not publish its interview structure, this analysis is drawn from aggregated candidate accounts via platforms such as interviewing.io and Exponent.

0 comments Read more at DEV Community

ProgrammingDEV Community ·

25 Hard-Learned Programming Mistakes From a Decade of Software Engineering

A software engineer with over ten years of industry experience has compiled 25 common programming mistakes observed across their career, published on DEV Community. The piece argues that software engineering is fundamentally about managing complexity, communication, and trade-offs rather than just writing code. Key pitfalls highlighted include premature abstraction, over-engineering for scale, excessive third-party dependencies, and writing tests too tightly coupled to implementation details. The author also cautions against full codebase rewrites, working in isolation when stuck, and treating code reviews as opportunities to showcase individual intelligence. The article aims to help developers at all levels avoid years of costly trial and error by learning from these documented missteps.

0 comments Read more at DEV Community

ProgrammingDEV Community ·

Developer Recreates Bangladeshi Comfort Dish Ilish Polao Using Pure CSS Art

A developer named Mahbuba Sultana has submitted a CSS art piece depicting Ilish Polao — a traditional Bangladeshi rice and hilsha fish dish — as an entry to the Frontend Challenge Comfort Food Edition. The project recreates the meal digitally, featuring a fish-shaped platter, a mound of polao rice, animated steam, and accompanying tomato chutney. While the piece is primarily built with CSS, a small JavaScript script was used to randomly scatter rice grains across the plate for a more natural, organic appearance. The creator drew inspiration from personal and cultural memories tied to hilsha fish, which holds the distinction of being Bangladesh's national fish. The project is publicly available via GitHub and a live demo hosted on GitHub Pages.

0 comments Read more at DEV Community

ProgrammingDEV Community ·

Codename One Adds Native Rich Text Component Without Web View Dependency

The Codename One open-source framework has introduced RichTextComponent via pull request #5421, a read-only component for displaying formatted text without embedding a browser or web view. It supports headings, inline styles, lists, links, and images, filling the gap between the simple SpanLabel and the heavyweight BrowserComponent. The new component integrates naturally into standard Codename One layouts, measuring its own height based on available width and scrolling alongside surrounding UI elements. Developers can supply content in multiple formats including HTML, Markdown, AsciiDoc, and RTF, or build content programmatically using structured data. Link handling, image loading, and caching remain under application control, keeping the component lightweight and framework-agnostic.

0 comments Read more at DEV Community