Working with .zip Files
A zip file is usually multiple files or even multiple files and “folders” (directories) that have been lumped together into a single file, usually having first been compressed to require less “space” (fewer bits). They are convenient in our courses for: providing you with multiple files (and/or folders) of code, receiving multiple files (and/or folders from you).
Putting files and /or folders on your current machine into a zip file is usually called “compressing” or “zipping” them. Getting the files and/or folder out of a zip file is called “extracting” or “unzipping” (less commonly, “decompressing”) them.
It is possible to compress/extract zip files on the command line, but the most common window managers for all operating systems support these actions via a graphical user interface. Follow the appropriate links below for steps to help you.