cat - Concatenate and print files

cat [-bcensStuv] [-] [file ...]

Description

The cat utility reads the specified files sequentially, writing them to standard output. The file operands are processed in command line order. A single dash represents standard input.

By default, cat reads file as text data so the data is translated from the CCSID of the file. When the -c option is specified, cat reads the file as binary data.

Note that because of the shell language mechanism used to perform output redirection, the command cat file1 file2 > file2 will cause the original data in file2 to be destroyed. Also, the process will go into an infinite loop.

Options

-b

Number the output lines but do not number blank lines.

-c

Do not convert the data as it is read.

-e

Number the output lines and display a dollar sign ($) at the end of each line as well.

-n

Number the output lines, starting at 1.

-s

Squeeze multiple adjacent empty lines, causing the output to be single spaced.

-S

Squeeze multiple adjacent empty lines, causing the output to be single spaced.

-t

Display non-printing characters so they are visible like the -v option and display tab characters as well.

-u

Guarantee that the output is unbuffered.

-v

Display non-printing characters so they are visible. A control character prints as "^X" (for control). The delete character prints as "^?". A non-display character prints as "M-x" (for meta). Note that in most locales, all of the characters are displayable.

Exit Status

• 0 when successful.
• >0 when an error occurred.

Related information

• head - Copy the first part of files
• tail - Copy the last part of a file
• zcat - Expand and concatenate data

1. Display the contents of file, "myfile".

   cat myfile
   

2. Display the contents of three different files at the same time and save their contents into a new file.

   cat file1 file2 file3 > all.files