freeCodeCamp/guide/english/bash/bash-tail/index.md

title
Bash Tail

Bash Tail

tail is a program to display the tail end of a text file. If no option is given, tail shows the last 10 lines of a given file.

Usage

tail [options] [file_names]

Commonly used options:

• -f - Display the last lines and then monitor the file. If new lines are added to the file, tail updates the display.
• -F - Same as -f but if the file/log is rolled it will continue with the new file/log.
• -c NUM - display the last NUM bytes of the file.
• -n NUM - display the last NUM lines, instead of the last 10

Examples

View the last several lines from file log.txt

tail log.txt

View the last 15 lines from file log.txt

tail -n 15 log.txt

Show only the last line from file log.txt

tail -n1 log.txt

Show live changes from file log.txt

tail -f log.txt

More Information

• Run man tail for more information on the tail command as well as a complete list of options.
• Wikipedia