fold
fold breaks long lines so that none exceeds a fixed width. Every line longer than the limit is cut into pieces.
fold [options] [file...]
$ fold -w 80 wide.txt
By default fold wraps at 80 columns, and it cuts at exactly that column — even in the middle of a word. That hard cut is the difference between fold and fmt: fmt reflows paragraphs and breaks between words; fold just enforces a width, mechanically. Use fold when you need a guarantee that no line is wider than N; use fmt when you want the result to read well.
With no file, fold reads standard input.
Options #
| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
-w, --width=WIDTH | Wrap at WIDTH columns instead of 80. |
-s, --spaces | Break at a space within the width where one exists, rather than mid-word — a gentler wrap. |
-b, --bytes | Count bytes rather than display columns. Control characters such as tab and newline then count as ordinary bytes. |
-c, --characters | Count character positions rather than display columns. |
Exit status #
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
0 | Success. |
1 | A file could not be read, or the width was invalid. |