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The find command

Finds files and folders by name, type or size inside a tree.

Syntax

find <ruta> [-name patrón] [-type f|d]Try it in the terminal →

Most useful options

-nameSearches by name (accepts wildcards)
-typeFilters by f (file) or d (folder)
-sizeSearches by size

Copy-ready examples

$ find . -name *.txtEvery .txt from here
$ find . -type dOnly folders
$ find /etc -name passwdSearch the whole system

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

Typical mistakes

  • The first argument is where to search from; the dot is the current folder.

Related commands

grepwhichls

FAQ

Does find search inside files?

No: it finds files and folders. For the content you use grep.

More Search commands

whereisegrepfgrepSee the category →

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