Create Zip Files Instantly
Right-clicking to compress in Finder works, but Terminal is faster and gives you more control.
The Commands
1
Zip a folder:
zip -r archive.zip foldername
2
Unzip a file:
unzip archive.zip
3
Zip multiple folders at once:
zip -r backup.zip folder1 folder2 folder3
Key Takeaway
zip -r creates archives. The -r means "recursive" — include everything inside folders.