Files and folders

The dirname command

From a full path, shows the folder that contains it (removes the last segment).

Syntax

dirname <ruta>

Copy-ready examples

$ dirname /etc/passwdThe folder
$ dirname /var/log/syslogNested path

You can try them in the browser terminal: it does not touch your computer.

Typical mistakes

  • For a path with no slashes it returns a dot, meaning the current folder.

Related commands

basenamepwd

FAQ

Does dirname create folders?

No, it only computes the path. To create you use mkdir.

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