Linux head command with examples

In this article, we will learn Linux head command with examples step by step.

Linux head command is used to print first few lines of a file. By default, it prints first 10 lines of a file on terminal.

Linux head command Syntax:

head [option] file_name

Linux head command options:

 -q, --quiet, --silent
              never print headers giving file names

       -v, --verbose
              always print headers giving file names

       -z, --zero-terminated
              line delimiter is NUL, not newline

       --help display this help and exit

       --version
              output version information and exit

       NUM  may  have  a  multiplier  suffix:  b  512,  kB  1000, K 1024, MB
       1000*1000, M 1024*1024, GB 1000*1000*1000, G 1024*1024*1024,  and  so
       on for T, P, E, Z, Y.

Linux head command examples:

1. View first 10 lines of a file.

head more.txt

Linx head command with examples

2. To view first 20 lines of a file.

head -20 less.txt more.txt

3. To view first 100 bytes of a file.

head -c 100 more.txt

4. To print 5000 lines of file in Linux.

head -5k more.txt

5. To print first 10 megabytes of a file.

head -c 10M more.txt

6. To print first 20 lines of more than one file.

head -20 more.txt less.txt