AR
A simple Unix archive format best known for storing static libraries and for acting as a container inside package formats such as Debian DEB files.
General information
- Format name
- Unix Archive
- Extensions
.a.ar- MIME type
application/x-archive- Category
- archive
- Data type
- Binary
File signatures
| Offset | Hexadecimal | ASCII | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 21 3C 61 72 63 68 3E 0A | !<arch> | Traditional Unix ar archive signature including the trailing newline byte. |
Common uses
Static libraries
Unix development
Object-file collections
Package containers
Software build artifacts
Related formats
Technical resources
| Resource | Publisher | Link |
|---|---|---|
| GNU Binary Utilities — ar | GNU Project | Open resource ↗ |
Record information
- Verified
- October 4, 2026
- Last updated
- October 4, 2026