Self-extracting archive

Computer executable program A self-extracting archive created using 7-Zip A self-extracting archive (SFX or SEA) is a computer executable program which combines compressed data in an archive file with machine-executable code to extract the information. Running on a compatible operating system, it does not need a suitable extractor in the target computer to extract the data. The executable part of the file is known as a decompressor stub. Self-extracting files are used to share compressed files with a party that may not have the software needed to decompress a regular archive. Users can also use self-extracting archives to distribute their own software. For example, the WinRAR installation program is made using the graphical GUI RAR self-extracting module Default.sfx. [citation needed] Overview Self-extracting archives contain an executable file module, which is used to run uncompressed files from compressed files. The latter does not require an external program to decompress the contents of the self-extracting file and can run the operation itself. However, file archivers like WinRAR can still treat a self-extracting file as if it were any other type of compressed file. By using a