diff --git a/7z.go b/7z.go
index 4a3dbd4a..06e4dd17 100644
--- a/7z.go
+++ b/7z.go
@@ -51,10 +51,7 @@ func (z SevenZip) Match(_ context.Context, filename string, stream io.Reader) (M
 	return mr, nil
 }
 
-// Archive is not implemented for 7z, but the method exists so that SevenZip satisfies the ArchiveFormat interface.
-func (z SevenZip) Archive(_ context.Context, _ io.Writer, _ []FileInfo) error {
-	return fmt.Errorf("not implemented for 7z because there is no pure Go implementation found")
-}
+// Archive is not implemented for 7z because I do not know of a pure-Go 7z writer.
 
 // Extract extracts files from z, implementing the Extractor interface. Uniquely, however,
 // sourceArchive must be an io.ReaderAt and io.Seeker, which are oddly disjoint interfaces
@@ -62,7 +59,7 @@ func (z SevenZip) Archive(_ context.Context, _ io.Writer, _ []FileInfo) error {
 // the interface because we figure you can Read() from anything you can ReadAt() or Seek()
 // with. Due to the nature of the zip archive format, if sourceArchive is not an io.Seeker
 // and io.ReaderAt, an error is returned.
-func (z SevenZip) Extract(ctx context.Context, sourceArchive io.Reader, pathsInArchive []string, handleFile FileHandler) error {
+func (z SevenZip) Extract(ctx context.Context, sourceArchive io.Reader, handleFile FileHandler) error {
 	sra, ok := sourceArchive.(seekReaderAt)
 	if !ok {
 		return fmt.Errorf("input type must be an io.ReaderAt and io.Seeker because of zip format constraints")
@@ -87,9 +84,6 @@ func (z SevenZip) Extract(ctx context.Context, sourceArchive io.Reader, pathsInA
 			return err // honor context cancellation
 		}
 
-		if !fileIsIncluded(pathsInArchive, f.Name) {
-			continue
-		}
 		if fileIsIncluded(skipDirs, f.Name) {
 			continue
 		}
@@ -130,3 +124,6 @@ func (z SevenZip) Extract(ctx context.Context, sourceArchive io.Reader, pathsInA
 
 // https://py7zr.readthedocs.io/en/latest/archive_format.html#signature
 var sevenZipHeader = []byte("7z\xBC\xAF\x27\x1C")
+
+// Interface guard
+var _ Extractor = SevenZip{}
diff --git a/formats.go b/formats.go
index 24865fea..837114d9 100644
--- a/formats.go
+++ b/formats.go
@@ -42,13 +42,14 @@ func RegisterFormat(format Format) {
 func Identify(ctx context.Context, filename string, stream io.Reader) (Format, io.Reader, error) {
 	var compression Compression
 	var archival Archival
+	var extraction Extraction
 
 	rewindableStream, err := newRewindReader(stream)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
 
-	// try compression format first, since that's the outer "layer"
+	// try compression format first, since that's the outer "layer" if combined
 	for name, format := range formats {
 		cf, isCompression := format.(Compression)
 		if !isCompression {
@@ -68,10 +69,11 @@ func Identify(ctx context.Context, filename string, stream io.Reader) (Format, i
 		}
 	}
 
-	// try archive format next
+	// try archival and extraction format next
 	for name, format := range formats {
-		af, isArchive := format.(Archival)
-		if !isArchive {
+		ar, isArchive := format.(Archival)
+		ex, isExtract := format.(Extraction)
+		if !isArchive && !isExtract {
 			continue
 		}
 
@@ -81,20 +83,23 @@ func Identify(ctx context.Context, filename string, stream io.Reader) (Format, i
 		}
 
 		if matchResult.Matched() {
-			archival = af
+			archival = ar
+			extraction = ex
 			break
 		}
 	}
 
-	// the stream should be rewound by identifyOne
+	// the stream should be rewound by identifyOne; then return the most specific type of match
 	bufferedStream := rewindableStream.reader()
 	switch {
-	case compression != nil && archival == nil:
+	case compression != nil && archival == nil && extraction == nil:
 		return compression, bufferedStream, nil
-	case compression == nil && archival != nil:
+	case compression == nil && archival != nil && extraction == nil:
 		return archival, bufferedStream, nil
-	case compression != nil && archival != nil:
-		return CompressedArchive{compression, archival}, bufferedStream, nil
+	case compression == nil && archival == nil && extraction != nil:
+		return extraction, bufferedStream, nil
+	case archival != nil || extraction != nil:
+		return Archive{compression, archival, extraction}, bufferedStream, nil
 	default:
 		return nil, bufferedStream, NoMatch
 	}
@@ -161,44 +166,44 @@ func readAtMost(stream io.Reader, n int) ([]byte, error) {
 	return nil, err
 }
 
-// CompressedArchive combines a compression format on top of an archive
-// format (e.g. "tar.gz") and provides both functionalities in a single
-// type. It ensures that archive functions are wrapped by compressors and
+// Archive represents an archive which may be compressed at the outer layer.
+// It combines a compression format on top of an archive/extraction
+// format (e.g. ".tar.gz") and provides both functionalities in a single
+// type. It ensures that archival functions are wrapped by compressors and
 // decompressors. However, compressed archives have some limitations; for
 // example, files cannot be inserted/appended because of complexities with
 // modifying existing compression state (perhaps this could be overcome,
 // but I'm not about to try it).
 //
-// As this type is intended to compose compression and archive formats,
-// both must be specified in order for this value to be valid, or its
-// methods will return errors.
-type CompressedArchive struct {
+// The embedded Archival and Extraction values are used for writing and
+// reading, respectively. Compression is optional and is only needed if the
+// format is compressed externally (for example, tar archives).
+type Archive struct {
 	Compression
 	Archival
+	Extraction
 }
 
-// Name returns a concatenation of the archive format name
-// and the compression format name.
-func (caf CompressedArchive) Extension() string {
-	if caf.Compression == nil && caf.Archival == nil {
-		panic("missing both compression and archive formats")
-	}
+// Name returns a concatenation of the archive and compression format extensions.
+func (ar Archive) Extension() string {
 	var name string
-	if caf.Archival != nil {
-		name += caf.Archival.Extension()
+	if ar.Archival != nil {
+		name += ar.Archival.Extension()
+	} else if ar.Extraction != nil {
+		name += ar.Extraction.Extension()
 	}
-	if caf.Compression != nil {
-		name += caf.Compression.Extension()
+	if ar.Compression != nil {
+		name += ar.Compression.Extension()
 	}
 	return name
 }
 
-// Match matches if the input matches both the compression and archive format.
-func (caf CompressedArchive) Match(ctx context.Context, filename string, stream io.Reader) (MatchResult, error) {
+// Match matches if the input matches both the compression and archival/extraction format.
+func (ar Archive) Match(ctx context.Context, filename string, stream io.Reader) (MatchResult, error) {
 	var conglomerate MatchResult
 
-	if caf.Compression != nil {
-		matchResult, err := caf.Compression.Match(ctx, filename, stream)
+	if ar.Compression != nil {
+		matchResult, err := ar.Compression.Match(ctx, filename, stream)
 		if err != nil {
 			return MatchResult{}, err
 		}
@@ -208,7 +213,7 @@ func (caf CompressedArchive) Match(ctx context.Context, filename string, stream
 
 		// wrap the reader with the decompressor so we can
 		// attempt to match the archive by reading the stream
-		rc, err := caf.Compression.OpenReader(stream)
+		rc, err := ar.Compression.OpenReader(stream)
 		if err != nil {
 			return matchResult, err
 		}
@@ -218,8 +223,8 @@ func (caf CompressedArchive) Match(ctx context.Context, filename string, stream
 		conglomerate = matchResult
 	}
 
-	if caf.Archival != nil {
-		matchResult, err := caf.Archival.Match(ctx, filename, stream)
+	if ar.Archival != nil {
+		matchResult, err := ar.Archival.Match(ctx, filename, stream)
 		if err != nil {
 			return MatchResult{}, err
 		}
@@ -234,26 +239,32 @@ func (caf CompressedArchive) Match(ctx context.Context, filename string, stream
 }
 
 // Archive adds files to the output archive while compressing the result.
-func (caf CompressedArchive) Archive(ctx context.Context, output io.Writer, files []FileInfo) error {
-	if caf.Compression != nil {
-		wc, err := caf.Compression.OpenWriter(output)
+func (ar Archive) Archive(ctx context.Context, output io.Writer, files []FileInfo) error {
+	if ar.Archival == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("no archival format")
+	}
+	if ar.Compression != nil {
+		wc, err := ar.Compression.OpenWriter(output)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 		defer wc.Close()
 		output = wc
 	}
-	return caf.Archival.Archive(ctx, output, files)
+	return ar.Archival.Archive(ctx, output, files)
 }
 
 // ArchiveAsync adds files to the output archive while compressing the result asynchronously.
-func (caf CompressedArchive) ArchiveAsync(ctx context.Context, output io.Writer, jobs <-chan ArchiveAsyncJob) error {
-	do, ok := caf.Archival.(ArchiverAsync)
+func (ar Archive) ArchiveAsync(ctx context.Context, output io.Writer, jobs <-chan ArchiveAsyncJob) error {
+	if ar.Archival == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("no archival format")
+	}
+	do, ok := ar.Archival.(ArchiverAsync)
 	if !ok {
-		return fmt.Errorf("%s archive does not support async writing", caf.Extension())
+		return fmt.Errorf("%T archive does not support async writing", ar.Archival)
 	}
-	if caf.Compression != nil {
-		wc, err := caf.Compression.OpenWriter(output)
+	if ar.Compression != nil {
+		wc, err := ar.Compression.OpenWriter(output)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -264,16 +275,19 @@ func (caf CompressedArchive) ArchiveAsync(ctx context.Context, output io.Writer,
 }
 
 // Extract reads files out of an archive while decompressing the results.
-func (caf CompressedArchive) Extract(ctx context.Context, sourceArchive io.Reader, pathsInArchive []string, handleFile FileHandler) error {
-	if caf.Compression != nil {
-		rc, err := caf.Compression.OpenReader(sourceArchive)
+func (ar Archive) Extract(ctx context.Context, sourceArchive io.Reader, handleFile FileHandler) error {
+	if ar.Extraction == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("no extraction format")
+	}
+	if ar.Compression != nil {
+		rc, err := ar.Compression.OpenReader(sourceArchive)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 		defer rc.Close()
 		sourceArchive = rc
 	}
-	return caf.Archival.Extract(ctx, sourceArchive, pathsInArchive, handleFile)
+	return ar.Extraction.Extract(ctx, sourceArchive, handleFile)
 }
 
 // MatchResult returns true if the format was matched either
@@ -408,8 +422,8 @@ var formats = make(map[string]Format)
 
 // Interface guards
 var (
-	_ Format        = (*CompressedArchive)(nil)
-	_ Archiver      = (*CompressedArchive)(nil)
-	_ ArchiverAsync = (*CompressedArchive)(nil)
-	_ Extractor     = (*CompressedArchive)(nil)
+	_ Format        = (*Archive)(nil)
+	_ Archiver      = (*Archive)(nil)
+	_ ArchiverAsync = (*Archive)(nil)
+	_ Extractor     = (*Archive)(nil)
 )
diff --git a/formats_test.go b/formats_test.go
index 6c8d621f..20349c2a 100644
--- a/formats_test.go
+++ b/formats_test.go
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ func checkErr(t *testing.T, err error, msgFmt string, args ...any) {
 		return
 	}
 	args = append(args, err)
-	t.Errorf(msgFmt+": %s", args...)
+	t.Fatalf(msgFmt+": %s", args...)
 }
 
 func TestIdentifyDoesNotMatchContentFromTrimmedKnownHeaderHaving0Suffix(t *testing.T) {
@@ -418,7 +418,7 @@ func TestIdentifyAndOpenZip(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("unexpected format found: expected=.zip actual=%s", format.Extension())
 	}
 
-	err = format.(Extractor).Extract(context.Background(), reader, nil, func(ctx context.Context, f FileInfo) error {
+	err = format.(Extractor).Extract(context.Background(), reader, func(ctx context.Context, f FileInfo) error {
 		rc, err := f.Open()
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/fs.go b/fs.go
index a2c7510a..56042cf6 100644
--- a/fs.go
+++ b/fs.go
@@ -350,14 +350,12 @@ func (f ArchiveFS) Open(name string) (fs.File, error) {
 	}
 
 	var decompressor io.ReadCloser
-	if caf, ok := f.Format.(CompressedArchive); ok {
-		if caf.Compression != nil {
-			decompressor, err = caf.Compression.OpenReader(inputStream)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			inputStream = decompressor
+	if decomp, ok := f.Format.(Decompressor); ok {
+		decompressor, err = decomp.OpenReader(inputStream)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
 		}
+		inputStream = decompressor
 	}
 
 	// prepare the handler that we'll need if we have to iterate the
@@ -413,13 +411,13 @@ func (f ArchiveFS) Open(name string) (fs.File, error) {
 	// files may have a "." component in them, and the underlying format doesn't
 	// know about our file system semantics, so we need to filter ourselves (it's
 	// not significantly less efficient).
-	if caf, ok := f.Format.(CompressedArchive); ok {
+	if ar, ok := f.Format.(Archive); ok {
 		// bypass the CompressedArchive format's opening of the decompressor, since
-		// we already did it, since we need to keep it open after returning
+		// we already did it because we need to keep it open after returning.
 		// "I BYPASSED THE COMPRESSOR!" -Rey
-		err = caf.Archival.Extract(f.context(), inputStream, nil, handler)
+		err = ar.Extraction.Extract(f.context(), inputStream, handler)
 	} else {
-		err = f.Format.Extract(f.context(), inputStream, nil, handler)
+		err = f.Format.Extract(f.context(), inputStream, handler)
 	}
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, &fs.PathError{Op: "open", Path: name, Err: fmt.Errorf("extract: %w", err)}
@@ -486,7 +484,7 @@ func (f ArchiveFS) Stat(name string) (fs.FileInfo, error) {
 	if f.Stream != nil {
 		inputStream = io.NewSectionReader(f.Stream, 0, f.Stream.Size())
 	}
-	err = f.Format.Extract(f.context(), inputStream, nil, handler)
+	err = f.Format.Extract(f.context(), inputStream, handler)
 	if err != nil && result.FileInfo == nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -601,7 +599,7 @@ func (f *ArchiveFS) ReadDir(name string) ([]fs.DirEntry, error) {
 		inputStream = io.NewSectionReader(f.Stream, 0, f.Stream.Size())
 	}
 
-	err = f.Format.Extract(f.context(), inputStream, nil, handler)
+	err = f.Format.Extract(f.context(), inputStream, handler)
 	if err != nil {
 		// these being non-nil implies that we have indexed the archive,
 		// but if an error occurred, we likely only got part of the way
diff --git a/interfaces.go b/interfaces.go
index f675f0e2..fd817864 100644
--- a/interfaces.go
+++ b/interfaces.go
@@ -33,10 +33,15 @@ type Compression interface {
 	Decompressor
 }
 
-// Archival is an archival format with both archive and extract methods.
+// Archival is an archival format that can create/write archives.
 type Archival interface {
 	Format
 	Archiver
+}
+
+// Extraction is an archival format that extract from (read) archives.
+type Extraction interface {
+	Format
 	Extractor
 }
 
@@ -86,19 +91,14 @@ type ArchiverAsync interface {
 // Extractor can extract files from an archive.
 type Extractor interface {
 	// Extract walks entries in the archive and calls handleFile for each
-	// entry that matches the pathsInArchive filter by path/name.
-	//
-	// If pathsInArchive is nil, all files are extracted without discretion.
-	// If pathsInArchive is empty, no files are extracted.
-	// If a path refers to a directory, all files within it are extracted.
-	// Extracted files are passed to the handleFile callback for handling.
+	// entry in the archive.
 	//
 	// Any files opened in the FileHandler should be closed when it returns,
 	// as there is no guarantee the files can be read outside the handler
 	// or after the walk has proceeded to the next file.
 	//
 	// Context cancellation must be honored.
-	Extract(ctx context.Context, archive io.Reader, pathsInArchive []string, handleFile FileHandler) error
+	Extract(ctx context.Context, archive io.Reader, handleFile FileHandler) error
 }
 
 // Inserter can insert files into an existing archive.
diff --git a/rar.go b/rar.go
index bece6071..8ca559e6 100644
--- a/rar.go
+++ b/rar.go
@@ -56,12 +56,9 @@ func (r Rar) Match(_ context.Context, filename string, stream io.Reader) (MatchR
 	return mr, nil
 }
 
-// Archive is not implemented for RAR, but the method exists so that Rar satisfies the ArchiveFormat interface.
-func (r Rar) Archive(_ context.Context, _ io.Writer, _ []FileInfo) error {
-	return fmt.Errorf("not implemented because RAR is a proprietary format")
-}
+// Archive is not implemented for RAR because it is patent-encumbered.
 
-func (r Rar) Extract(ctx context.Context, sourceArchive io.Reader, pathsInArchive []string, handleFile FileHandler) error {
+func (r Rar) Extract(ctx context.Context, sourceArchive io.Reader, handleFile FileHandler) error {
 	var options []rardecode.Option
 	if r.Password != "" {
 		options = append(options, rardecode.Password(r.Password))
@@ -91,9 +88,6 @@ func (r Rar) Extract(ctx context.Context, sourceArchive io.Reader, pathsInArchiv
 			}
 			return err
 		}
-		if !fileIsIncluded(pathsInArchive, hdr.Name) {
-			continue
-		}
 		if fileIsIncluded(skipDirs, hdr.Name) {
 			continue
 		}
@@ -142,3 +136,6 @@ var (
 	rarHeaderV1_5 = []byte("Rar!\x1a\x07\x00")     // v1.5
 	rarHeaderV5_0 = []byte("Rar!\x1a\x07\x01\x00") // v5.0
 )
+
+// Interface guard
+var _ Extractor = Rar{}
diff --git a/tar.go b/tar.go
index d4106257..d84fed43 100644
--- a/tar.go
+++ b/tar.go
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ func (t Tar) Insert(ctx context.Context, into io.ReadWriteSeeker, files []FileIn
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (t Tar) Extract(ctx context.Context, sourceArchive io.Reader, pathsInArchive []string, handleFile FileHandler) error {
+func (t Tar) Extract(ctx context.Context, sourceArchive io.Reader, handleFile FileHandler) error {
 	tr := tar.NewReader(sourceArchive)
 
 	// important to initialize to non-nil, empty value due to how fileIsIncluded works
@@ -201,9 +201,6 @@ func (t Tar) Extract(ctx context.Context, sourceArchive io.Reader, pathsInArchiv
 			}
 			return err
 		}
-		if !fileIsIncluded(pathsInArchive, hdr.Name) {
-			continue
-		}
 		if fileIsIncluded(skipDirs, hdr.Name) {
 			continue
 		}
diff --git a/zip.go b/zip.go
index 73361d8b..1de5b516 100644
--- a/zip.go
+++ b/zip.go
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ func (z Zip) archiveOneFile(ctx context.Context, zw *zip.Writer, idx int, file F
 // the interface because we figure you can Read() from anything you can ReadAt() or Seek()
 // with. Due to the nature of the zip archive format, if sourceArchive is not an io.Seeker
 // and io.ReaderAt, an error is returned.
-func (z Zip) Extract(ctx context.Context, sourceArchive io.Reader, pathsInArchive []string, handleFile FileHandler) error {
+func (z Zip) Extract(ctx context.Context, sourceArchive io.Reader, handleFile FileHandler) error {
 	sra, ok := sourceArchive.(seekReaderAt)
 	if !ok {
 		return fmt.Errorf("input type must be an io.ReaderAt and io.Seeker because of zip format constraints")
@@ -211,9 +211,6 @@ func (z Zip) Extract(ctx context.Context, sourceArchive io.Reader, pathsInArchiv
 		// ensure filename and comment are UTF-8 encoded (issue #147 and PR #305)
 		z.decodeText(&f.FileHeader)
 
-		if !fileIsIncluded(pathsInArchive, f.Name) {
-			continue
-		}
 		if fileIsIncluded(skipDirs, f.Name) {
 			continue
 		}