Linux: head command

This Linux tutorial explains how to use the Linux head command with syntax and arguments.

NAME

head - output the first part of files

SYNOPSIS

head [OPTION]... [FILE]...

DESCRIPTION

Print the first 10 lines of each FILE to standard output. With more than one FILE, precede each with a header giving the file name. With no FILE, or when FILE is -, read standard input.

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.

-c, --bytes=[-]K

print the first K bytes of each file; with the leading `-', print all but the last K bytes of each file

-n, --lines=[-]K

print the first K lines instead of the first 10; with the leading `-', print all but the last K lines of each file

-q, --quiet, --silent

never print headers giving file names

-v, --verbose

always print headers giving file names

--help

display this help and exit

--version

output version information and exit

K may have a multiplier suffix: b 512, kB 1000, K 1024, MB 1000*1000, M 1024*1024, GB 1000*1000*1000, G 1024*1024*1024, and so on for T, P, E, Z, Y.