What does the command 'tar -c' do?

The command 'tar -c' is utilized to create a new archive. When this option is used, it tells the tar program to bundle up specified files and directories into a single archive file, typically with a .tar extension. This operation does not involve any compression by default; it merely collects and organizes the files into one archive for easier storage or transfer. The 'c' stands for "create," making it clear that this command is intended for generating a new archive rather than modifying or extracting files from an existing one. Understanding this functionality is crucial when managing files and backups on a Linux system, as it simplifies the process of handling multiple files and directories.