Text processing

Linux head command

Show the first lines of a file; use -n to choose how many.

Availability: Common Linux commands; shell built-ins and external implementations may differ by distribution.中文

Syntax

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

Examples

Show the first 20 lines of a log.

head -n 20 app.log

Inspect the first 64 bytes of a file.

head -c 64 image.bin

Parameters, options and clauses

Option / clause	Description
`-n, --lines=NUM`	Print the first NUM lines (default 10).
`-c, --bytes=NUM`	Print the first NUM bytes.
`-q, --quiet`	Never print file headers.
`-v, --verbose`	Always print file headers.
`-z, --zero-terminated`	Treat NUL, rather than newline, as the line delimiter.

Safety note

Review a command and its target before running it. Commands that alter files, services, accounts, disks, permissions or databases may be difficult to reverse. Test in a safe environment and keep backups.

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