head
head prints the beginning of a file — by default, the first 10 lines.
head [options] [file...]
$ head config.toml
It is the quick way to glance at the top of a file without printing the whole thing — a header, the first few records, the start of a log. With no file, head reads standard input.
Choosing how much #
| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
-n, --lines=NUM | Print the first NUM lines instead of 10. |
-c, --bytes=NUM | Print the first NUM bytes instead of counting lines. |
NUM accepts a unit suffix (K, M, …) when counting bytes.
Counting from the end #
If NUM is given a leading -, the meaning flips: head prints everything except the last NUM.
$ head -n -5 report.txt # all but the final 5 lines
Headers for multiple files #
When given more than one file, head prints a header line before each one so you can tell them apart. Two options override that:
| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
-q, --quiet | Never print the file-name headers. |
-v, --verbose | Always print the header, even for a single file. |
Other options #
| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
-z, --zero-terminated | Treat the NUL character as the line delimiter instead of newline. |
Exit status #
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
0 | Every file was printed. |
1 | A file could not be read. |