How to tar file quickly?

create:

tar -cvf mystuff.tar mystuff/
tar -czvf mystuff.tgz mystuff/

extracting:

tar -xvf mystuff.tar
tar -xzvf mystuff.tgz

testing/viewing:

tar -tvf mystuff.tar
tar -tzvf mystuff.tgz

-c, –create create a new archive
-z, –gzip, –ungzip filter the archive through gzip
-v, –verbose verbosely list files processed
-f, –file=ARCHIVE use archive file or device ARCHIVE

-t, –list list the contents of an archive

See more:

http://linuxbasiccommands.wordpress.com/2008/04/04/linux-tar-command/