WinRAR

WinRAR is a shareware file archiver and data compression utility developed by Eugene Roshal and distributed by Alexander Roshal, first released in autumn of 1993. It uses the RAR archive file format, proprietary to its developer, and can also create archives in the ZIP format. WinRAR runs under Microsoft Windows in GUI mode; there are command-line versions, called "RAR", for Mac OS X, Linux, FreeBSD, Windows console mode, and MS-DOS.

From version 5, a new archive format, RAR5, is supported, incompatible with the previous one, but also using file extension .RAR. With the introduction of RAR5, the older format is referred to as RAR4. The new version can open and create RAR4 archives, but older versions do not support RAR5 archives.

The software is distributed as a shareware and anyone may use it during a test period of 40 days at no charge. Following this test period, the software license requires purchase of a license to continue using the software. Usage of the software after the test period without purchasing a license is possible (it will show a warning), but according to the software license, it will result in immediate and automatic termination of the shareware license and may result in criminal or civil prosecution.