The `tail` command is typically used in Unix/Linux systems or...
The tail
command is typically used in Unix/Linux systems or scripting. It is not code, but a command-line utility.
The tail
command is used to display the last few lines of a file by default or follow the output of a file in real-time as it gets updated.
Here’s what it does:
-
Default behavior: By default,
tail
shows the last 10 lines of a specified file.tail filename
-
Specify the number of lines: You can specify the number of lines to display using the
-n
option.tail -n 20 filename
This example shows the last 20 lines of the given file.
-
Follow the file in real-time: Using the
-f
option,tail
can keep monitoring the file for new lines and display them as they are appended (useful for log files).tail -f filename
-
Combination of options: You can combine options like specifying the number of lines to display initially while following the file.
tail -n 50 -f filename
This shows the last 50 lines of the file and follows it in real-time.
In summary, the tail
command is used for reading the end of files or monitoring files as they update.