head (host)
Copy the first part of files (POSIX)
Syntax:
head [-l] [-number] [-c number] [-n number] [file]...
Runs on:
Microsoft Windows
Options:
- -number
- Deprecated; use -n number instead.
- -c number
- (QNX OS extension) The number of bytes to copy. The number argument is an unsigned decimal integer.
- -l
- (
el
; QNX OS extension) Measure the quantity of output in lines; this is the default unit of measure. - -n number
- The number of lines to copy. The number argument is an unsigned decimal integer.
- file
- The pathname of an input file. If you don't specify any files, the standard input is used.
Description:
The head utility copies its input files to the standard output. The utility ends the output for each file at a point designated by the -c or -n option. If you don't specify either of these options, head copies the first ten lines of the file.
If you specify multiple -c, -l, and -n options, the last one takes precedence.
If you specify multiple files, head prints an identifying header before the output for each file.
Examples:
Display the first ten lines of all files in the current directory:
head *
Print the first 16 bytes of myfile in hex:
head -c 16 myfile | hd
(Note that in this case, the same functionality is offered through command-line options to hd (host).)
Exit status:
- 0
- Successful completion.
- >0
- An error occurred.
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