basename

basename takes a path and prints just its final component — the file name, with all the leading directories removed.

basename name [suffix]
basename [options] name...

$ basename /home/jack/projects/notes.txt
notes.txt

It is a pure text operation: basename never looks at the file system. It works on the string you give it, so the path need not exist.

Removing a suffix

Give a second argument and basename also strips that suffix from the end of the name — handy for turning a file name into a bare stem:

$ basename /home/jack/projects/notes.txt .txt
notes

The suffix is only removed if it is actually there, and never if it would leave an empty string.

basename takes one name by default. The options let it process several at once.

Option	Effect
`-a`, `--multiple`	Treat every argument as a name to process, instead of treating the second argument as a suffix. Required to pass more than one name.
`-s`, `--suffix=SUFFIX`	Remove `SUFFIX` from each name. Implies `-a`, so it applies to every name given.
`-z`, `--zero`	End each output line with a NUL character instead of a newline.

$ basename -s .txt notes.txt readme.txt changelog.txt
notes
readme
changelog

Code	Meaning
`0`	Success.
`1`	A usage error — a missing or extra operand.