What does the command 'tar -v' do?

The command 'tar -v' is used to enable verbose output when creating or manipulating archive files. When you use the 'tar' command with the '-v' option, it will display the names of the files being processed. This feature is particularly useful for users who want to monitor which files are being added to an archive or which files are being extracted, making the command’s operation more transparent.

For example, if you use 'tar -cvf archive.tar directory', the '-v' option will allow you to see a list of all the files in 'directory' that are being added to 'archive.tar' as the command executes. This helps in confirming that the command is operating as intended.

While 'tar' can perform other functions like concatenation, extraction, and compression through various options, the specific role of '-v' is solely to provide a visual output of the process, making it easier for the user to track activities in real time.