# pwd

_Peios / Using Peios / Peiosutils / Listing and paths_

> Print the absolute path of the directory you are currently working in.

`pwd` — "print working directory" — prints the absolute path of the directory you are currently in.

```
pwd [options]
```

```
$ pwd
/home/jack/projects
```

Every process has a working directory: the directory that relative path names are interpreted against. `pwd` tells you what yours is.

## Physical and logical paths

There are two honest answers to "where am I", and they differ only when symbolic links are involved.

Suppose `/home/jack/work` is a symbolic link pointing at `/data/projects/jack`, and you move into it. The **physical** path — the real location, with every link resolved — is `/data/projects/jack`. The **logical** path — the route you took to get there — is `/home/jack/work`.

| Option | Path printed |
|---|---|
| `-P`, `--physical` | The physical path: every symbolic link resolved to its target. |
| `-L`, `--logical` | The logical path: the route recorded as you navigated, taken from the `PWD` environment variable when it is accurate. |

By default `pwd` prints the **physical** path — `-P` is the default, and naming it explicitly just makes that choice visible. Use `-L` when you want the path as you navigated it, links and all.

If `-L` is requested but the recorded `PWD` value is missing or does not actually match the current directory, `pwd` falls back to the physical path rather than print something wrong.

## A note on shells

Many command shells provide their own built-in `pwd`, and the shell's version is what runs when you type `pwd` at a prompt. The two behave the same for everyday use. To be certain you are running this command rather than the shell built-in, invoke it by its full path.

## Exit status

| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| `0` | The working directory was printed. |
| `1` | The working directory could not be determined or could not be printed. |

Related content:

- [realpath](/peios/using-peios/peiosutils/listing-and-paths/realpath.md)
- [Listing and paths](/peios/using-peios/peiosutils/listing-and-paths/overview.md)