diff --git a/pyiron_snippets/files.py b/pyiron_snippets/files.py
index 09ea2ac..ee413d8 100644
--- a/pyiron_snippets/files.py
+++ b/pyiron_snippets/files.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import tarfile
 from pathlib import Path
+from typing import cast
 
 
 def delete_files_and_directories_recursively(path):
@@ -44,11 +46,12 @@ def __init__(
         self, directory: str | Path | DirectoryObject, protected: bool = False
     ):
         if isinstance(directory, str):
-            self.path = Path(directory)
+            path = Path(directory)
         elif isinstance(directory, Path):
-            self.path = directory
+            path = directory
         elif isinstance(directory, DirectoryObject):
-            self.path = directory.path
+            path = directory.path
+        self.path: Path = path
         self.create()
         self._protected = protected
 
@@ -97,3 +100,35 @@ def remove_files(self, *files: str):
             path = self.get_path(file)
             if path.is_file():
                 path.unlink()
+
+    def compress(self, exclude_files: list[str | Path] | None = None):
+        directory = self.path.resolve()
+        output_tar_path = directory.with_suffix(".tar.gz")
+        if output_tar_path.exists():
+            return
+        if exclude_files is None:
+            exclude_files = []
+        else:
+            exclude_files = [Path(f) for f in exclude_files]
+        exclude_set = {
+            f.resolve() if f.is_absolute() else (directory / f).resolve()
+            for f in cast(list[Path], exclude_files)
+        }
+        files_to_delete = []
+        with tarfile.open(output_tar_path, "w:gz") as tar:
+            for file in directory.rglob("*"):
+                if file.is_file() and file.resolve() not in exclude_set:
+                    arcname = file.relative_to(directory)
+                    tar.add(file, arcname=arcname)
+                    files_to_delete.append(file)
+        for file in files_to_delete:
+            file.unlink()
+
+    def decompress(self):
+        directory = self.path.resolve()
+        tar_path = directory.with_suffix(".tar.gz")
+        if not tar_path.exists():
+            return
+        with tarfile.open(tar_path, "r:gz") as tar:
+            tar.extractall(path=directory, filter="fully_trusted")
+        tar_path.unlink()
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_files.py b/tests/unit/test_files.py
index 20ab917..cc75548 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_files.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_files.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import pickle
+import tarfile
 import unittest
 from pathlib import Path
 
@@ -92,6 +93,42 @@ def test_remove(self):
             msg="Should be able to remove just one file",
         )
 
+    def test_compress(self):
+        while Path("test.tar.gz").exists():
+            Path("test.tar.gz").unlink()
+        self.directory.write(file_name="test1.txt", content="something")
+        self.directory.write(file_name="test2.txt", content="something")
+        self.directory.compress(exclude_files=["test1.txt"])
+        self.assertTrue(Path("test.tar.gz").exists())
+        with tarfile.open("test.tar.gz", "r:*") as f:
+            content = [name for name in f.getnames()]
+            self.assertNotIn(
+                "test1.txt", content, msg="Excluded file should not be in archive"
+            )
+            self.assertIn(
+                "test2.txt", content, msg="Included file should be in archive"
+            )
+        self.assertFalse(
+            self.directory.file_exists("test2.txt"),
+            msg="Compressed files should not be in the directory",
+        )
+        self.assertTrue(
+            self.directory.file_exists("test1.txt"),
+            msg="Excluded file should still be in the directory",
+        )
+        # Test that compressing again does not raise an error
+        self.directory.compress()
+        self.assertTrue(Path("test.tar.gz").exists())
+        self.directory.decompress()
+        self.assertTrue(
+            self.directory.file_exists("test2.txt"),
+            msg="Decompressed files should be back in the directory",
+        )
+        self.assertFalse(
+            Path("test.tar.gz").exists(),
+            msg="Archive should be deleted after decompression",
+        )
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()