This error completely halts your script. It usually happens during software build processes or CI/CD pipelines when you try to unzip multiple files or use wildcards. Here is why this error happens and exactly how to fix it. The Root Cause: Shell Expansion vs. Unzip
The primary technical reason for this error is a conflict between how your terminal (shell) and the unzip utility handle special characters.
This error is often misleading. It doesn't necessarily mean the archive is broken, but rather that the unzip command cannot locate specific files matching the pattern you've provided, or that the shell is interpreting the wildcards incorrectly. This error completely halts your script
Standard wildcards like * do not match hidden files (files starting with a dot, like .env or .htaccess ). If your stage components include hidden configuration files, use the double asterisk feature if supported, or extract the directory directly without wildcards: unzip archive.zip stage_components/ Use code with caution.
Often, automated build tools or CI/CD pipelines package files inside a root wrapper directory (e.g., build-output/stage components/ ). If stage components is not at the absolute root of the ZIP file, a strict path like 'stage components/*' will not find it. The Root Cause: Shell Expansion vs
In most Unix-like environments (Linux, macOS, Bash, Zsh), the shell performs a process called "globbing." When you type unzip archive.zip *.txt , the shell looks in your for any files ending in .txt .
: Before extracting a specific set of files from an archive, check if your pattern matches any files inside: It doesn't necessarily mean the archive is broken,
Before running the unzip command, verify your current location and list the files to ensure the file exists. Example Debugging Workflow:
What the error means