dirname - Return directory portion of path name

Synopsis

dirname string

Description

You can use dirname to delete the filename portion, beginning with the last slash character (/) to the end of string, and write the result to standard output. The string is processed using the following rules:

If string consists entirely of slash characters, a single slash character is written to standard output and processing ends.
If there are any trailing slash characters in string, they are removed.
If there are no slash characters remaining in string, a period character is written to standard output and processing ends.
If there are trailing non-slash characters in string, they are removed.
If there are any trailing slash characters in string, they are removed.
If the remaining string is empty, string is set to a single slash character.

Operands

The string operand is the pathname of which dirname will return the directory portion of.

Exit Status

0 on success
>0 if an error occurs.

Related information

basename - Return directory portion of path name

Examples

Set the shell variable FOO to "/usr/bin".
```
FOO=$(dirname /usr/bin/trail)
```