# phpman > man > bzgrep(1)

> **TLDR:** Find patterns in `bzip2` compressed files using `grep`.
>
- Search for a pattern within a compressed file:
  `bzgrep "{{search_pattern}}" {{path/to/file}}`
- Recursively search files in a bzip2 compressed `.tar` archive for a pattern:
  `bzgrep {{-r|--recursive}} "{{search_pattern}}" {{path/to/tar_file}}`
- Print 3 lines of [C]ontext around, [B]efore, or [A]fter each match:
  `bzgrep {{-context|--before-context|--after-context}} 3 "{{search_pattern}}" {{path/to/file}}`
- Print file name and line number for each match:
  `bzgrep {{-H|--with-filename}} {{-n|--line-number}} "{{search_pattern}}" {{path/to/file}}`
- Search for lines matching a pattern, printing only the matched text:
  `bzgrep {{-o|--only-matching}} "{{search_pattern}}" {{path/to/file}}`
- Search `stdin` for lines that do not match a pattern:
  `cat {{path/to/bz_compressed_file}} | bzgrep {{-v|--invert-match}} "{{search_pattern}}"`
- Use extended `regex` (supports `?`, `+`, `{}`, `()`, and `|`), in case-insensitive mode:
  `bzgrep {{-E|--extended-regexp}} {{-i|--ignore-case}} "{{search_pattern}}" {{path/to/file}}`

*Source: tldr-pages*

---



[BZGREP(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/BZGREP/1/markdown)                              General Commands Manual                             [BZGREP(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/BZGREP/1/markdown)



## NAME
       bzgrep, bzfgrep, bzegrep - search possibly bzip2 compressed files for a regular expression

## SYNOPSIS
       **bzgrep** [ grep_options ] **[** **-e** **]** _pattern_ _filename_...
       **bzegrep** [ egrep_options ] **[** **-e** **]** _pattern_ _filename_...
       **bzfgrep** [ fgrep_options ] **[** **-e** **]** _pattern_ _filename_...

## DESCRIPTION
       _Bzgrep_ is used to invoke the _grep_ on bzip2-compressed files. All options specified are passed
       directly to _grep._  If no file is specified, then the standard input is decompressed if neces‐
       sary  and  fed  to  grep.  Otherwise the given files are uncompressed if necessary and fed to
       _grep._

       If _bzgrep_ is invoked as _bzegrep_ or _bzfgrep_ then _egrep_ or _fgrep_ is used instead of  _grep._   If
       the  GREP  environment variable is set, _bzgrep_ uses it as the _grep_ program to be invoked. For
       example:

           for sh:  GREP=fgrep  bzgrep string files
           for csh: (setenv GREP fgrep; bzgrep string files)

## AUTHOR
       Charles Levert (<charles@comm.polymtl.ca>). Adapted to bzip2 by Philippe Troin  <<phil@fifi.org>>
       for Debian GNU/Linux.

## SEE ALSO
       [grep(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/grep/1/markdown), [egrep(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/egrep/1/markdown), [fgrep(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/fgrep/1/markdown), [bzdiff(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/bzdiff/1/markdown), [bzmore(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/bzmore/1/markdown), [bzless(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/bzless/1/markdown), [bzip2(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/bzip2/1/markdown)



                                                                                           [BZGREP(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/BZGREP/1/markdown)