File Management

tail Linux Command

Displays the last 10 lines of a file. Use -f to follow file changes in real time.

What does tail do?

Displays the last 10 lines of a file. Use -f to follow file changes in real time.

tail [options] filename

tail -f /var/log/apache2/access.log

How do I follow a log file in real time?

Use `tail -f filename` to continuously watch a file as new lines are added. This is essential for monitoring log files. Press Ctrl+C to stop.

How do I show the last 20 lines of a file?

Use `tail -n 20 filename` or `tail -20 filename` to display the last 20 lines. The default is 10 lines if no number is specified.

How do I follow a file by descriptor?

Use `tail -f --pid=PID filename` to stop following when process PID ends, or `tail -F filename` to follow by name (useful when file is rotated).

How do I combine multiple log files with tail?

Use `tail -f file1.log file2.log` to follow multiple files simultaneously. New entries from both files will be displayed.

How do I tail the last 100 lines of a file?

Use `tail -n 100 filename` to show the last 100 lines. This is useful for quickly checking recent activity in large files.

How do I use tail with a pipe?

Use `command | tail -n 20` to get the last 20 lines of a command's output. This is useful for seeing the final results of a long process.

What is the difference between tail -f and tail -F?

`tail -f` follows a file descriptor, while `tail -F` follows the filename. Use `-F` when the file might be rotated (renamed and recreated).

Displays the first 10 lines of a file by default. Use -n to specify count.

Opens a simple, beginner-friendly terminal text editor.

Views file contents one screen at a time (forward-only navigation).

Opens the powerful Vim text editor for editing files.

Views file contents page by page with forward and backward navigation.

Counts lines, words, and characters in a file.