Unrar Explained

UnRAR is the name of two different command-line applications for extracting RAR file archives.

RARLAB UnRAR

This source-available freeware^[1] is a command-line version of UnRAR, released by RARLAB, the same company that released the proprietary WinRAR software.^[2] This software can extract newer RAR v5.0 file archives that has limited support in free extractors.

The source-available license stipulates that users may not use the UnRAR code to create a RAR compressor.

UnRAR-free

This is a free software version of UnRAR that uses a library that is based on an old version of RARLAB's UnRAR with permission from author Eugene Roshal.^[3] It is probably licensed under the GPLv2-only and unrarlib is available under the GPLv2-or-later or a proprietary license. Work ended in 2007. Unrarlib only supports the RAR2 format.^[3]

See also

• Comparison of file archivers
• Comparison of archive formats
• List of archive formats
• RAR (file format)#Third-party software for extracting RAR files

External links

• RARLAB UnRAR
• UnRAR-free

Notes and References

1. Web site: Roshal . Alexander . UnRAR License . Fedora Project wiki . Red Hat . 9 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190609030529/https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Licensing:Unrar . 9 June 2019.
2. http://www.rarlab.com/rar_add.htm UnRAR; RARlab.
3. Web site: Frequently Asked Questions. UniquE RAR File Library. December 2011. Galina Miclosic. 2014-11-04.