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head

file managementLinux/Unix

The head command is one of the most frequently used commands in Linux/Unix-like operating systems. head Output the first part of files

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Quick Reference

Command Name:

head

Category:

file management

Platform:

Linux/Unix

Basic Usage:

head [options] [arguments]

Common Use Cases

Syntax

head [options] [file...]

Options

Option	Description
`-c, --bytes=[-]NUM`	Print the first NUM bytes of each file; with leading '-', print all but the last NUM bytes
`-n, --lines=[-]NUM`	Print the first NUM lines instead of the first 10; with leading '-', print all but the last NUM lines
`-q, --quiet, --silent`	Never print headers giving file names
`-v, --verbose`	Always print headers giving file names
`-z, --zero-terminated`	Line delimiter is NUL, not newline
`--help`	Display help information and exit
`--version`	Output version information and exit

Examples

How to Use These Examples

The examples below show common ways to use the head command. Try them in your terminal to see the results. You can copy any example by clicking on the code block.

# Basic Examples Basic

head file.txt

Display the first 10 lines of file.txt.

head -n 5 file.txt

Display the first 5 lines of file.txt.

head -c 20 file.txt

Display the first 20 bytes of file.txt. # Advanced Examples Advanced head -n -15 file.txt Display all but the last 15 lines of file.txt. head -v -n 3 file1.txt file2.txt Display the first 3 lines of each file with headers. find . -name "*.log" -exec head -n 2 {} \; Display the first 2 lines of all log files in the current directory. head -q -n 1 *.conf Display the first line of all .conf files without headers.

Try It Yourself

Practice makes perfect! The best way to learn is by trying these examples on your own system with real files.

Understanding Syntax

Pay attention to the syntax coloring: commands, options, and file paths are highlighted differently.

Notes

The head command displays the beginning of a file or multiple files. It's commonly used to get a quick peek at the content of files, especially large ones, without having to open them entirely. Key features of head: 1. Line-Based Output: By default, head displays the first 10 lines of each specified file, which is useful for quickly examining file headers or the start of data files. 2. Byte-Based Output: With the -c option, head can output a specific number of bytes instead of lines, which is useful for binary files or when precise control over output size is needed. 3. Multiple File Support: head can process multiple files at once, displaying the beginning of each with a header indicating the filename. 4. Header Control: The -q (quiet) and -v (verbose) options allow controlling whether filenames are displayed as headers when processing multiple files. 5. Inverse Selection: By using a negative number with -n or -c, head can display all content except for the last N lines or bytes, effectively functioning as a complement to the tail command. 6. Zero-Terminated Lines: The -z option makes head treat null characters (\0) as line delimiters instead of newlines, which is useful when processing output from commands like find -print0. 7. Standard Input Support: If no file is specified or when - is used as a filename, head reads from standard input, making it versatile for use in command pipelines. head is particularly useful for tasks like checking file formats, viewing log file beginnings, examining data file headers, or quickly inspecting configuration files. It's often paired with other commands like grep, sort, or tail to perform more complex text processing operations.

Related Commands

These commands are frequently used alongside head or serve similar purposes:

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Use Cases

Learn By Doing

The best way to learn Linux commands is by practicing. Try out these examples in your terminal to build muscle memory and understand how the head command works in different scenarios.

See Examples Try Lab Exercises

$ head

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