Linux find Command Summary with Examples Tutorial

Examples of the Linux find Command

Beginner

Learn to find files within directories at the Linux command line.

Video Tutorial

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Linux find Command Summary with Examples (3:22)

Video Script

The Command and Why You Need It

Our thirtieth word, or command to memorize is find from our category Help.

find allows you to search for files within directories.

Common Linux apropos Options

-options	description
`--help`	Print help screen
`-name`	Find files with a specific name or expression

Recall from the previous video, we searched through command titles and descriptions, now we'll search for any type of file.

Before we start, it helps to think of commands as mini programs and most follow this structure: command -option(s) argument(s).

The find command has many options, and arguments include where you want to search, operations you want to perform, and finally an expression of what you're looking for. The capabilities of the find command are vast, so we'll look at a few simple cases.

Like most commands, help is available with double-dash --help. The -name option offers the ability to search by file name or an expression using wildcards. I'm reluctant to detail other options here, so at this point let's be content with finding files.

So why is find an important command? Well, its capabilities are extensive, meaning you can use it to simply find a file or to take other actions on those files. And now you know how to do that.

Demonstration

Okay, the best way to embed this in your memory is by typing in your own terminal window.

Find this on your Mac using a program called Terminal. On Linux use Terminal or Konsole, and currently Microsoft is adding this functionality to Windows.

Here we go, let's start with a find --help and scan that syntax.

$ find --help Usage: find [-H] [-L] [-P] [-Olevel] [-D help|tree|search|stat|rates|opt|exec] [path...] [expression] default path is the current directory; default expression is -print expression may consist of: operators, options, tests, and actions: operators (decreasing precedence; -and is implicit where no others are given): ( EXPR ) ! EXPR -not EXPR EXPR1 -a EXPR2 EXPR1 -and EXPR2 EXPR1 -o EXPR2 EXPR1 -or EXPR2 EXPR1 , EXPR2 positional options (always true): -daystart -follow -regextype normal options (always true, specified before other expressions): -depth --help -maxdepth LEVELS -mindepth LEVELS -mount -noleaf --version -xdev -ignore_readdir_race -noignore_readdir_race tests (N can be +N or -N or N): -amin N -anewer FILE -atime N -cmin N -cnewer FILE -ctime N -empty -false -fstype TYPE -gid N -group NAME -ilname PATTERN -iname PATTERN -inum N -iwholename PATTERN -iregex PATTERN -links N -lname PATTERN -mmin N -mtime N -name PATTERN -newer FILE -nouser -nogroup -path PATTERN -perm [+-]MODE -regex PATTERN -readable -writable -executable -wholename PATTERN -size N[bcwkMG] -true -type [bcdpflsD] -uid N -used N -user NAME -xtype [bcdpfls] actions: -delete -print0 -printf FORMAT -fprintf FILE FORMAT -print -fprint0 FILE -fprint FILE -ls -fls FILE -prune -quit -exec COMMAND ; -exec COMMAND {} + -ok COMMAND ; -execdir COMMAND ; -execdir COMMAND {} + -okdir COMMAND ; Report (and track progress on fixing) bugs via the findutils bug-reporting page at http://savannah.gnu.org/ or, if you have no web access, by sending email to <bug-findutils@gnu.org>.

It gets very very complex, so I suggest reviewing it later.

Next, let's go with find in the current directory using a dot . then -name and the title like this 'video11.txt'.

$ clear $ pwd /home/paul $ find . -name 'video11.txt' ./video11.txt

Okay, good.

And last, let's broaden the search using a wildcard. Typing find -name 'video1*.txt'.

$ find . -name 'video1*.txt' ./video11.txt ./video16.txt ./video19.txt

Again, I'm reluctant to go any deeper at this point given the short window of time here.

A Final Tip

Okay now you know how to use find. And you know the syntax for commands, options and arguments.

One last tip about the find command. The man page (man find) has guidance on how to locate and take actions on a file at the same time. I suggest looking at that.

Okay, thanks for visiting today. I hope this was a helpful introduction to the find command.

Learn More About The Series

For an overview of the 100 videos, the 8 quizzes, a cheat sheet, the categories and a Q&A section, visit:

Linux find Command Summary with Examples