Linux Command - find
find - Find files or directories under the given directory tree, recursively.
Syntax
1 | find [options] [root_path] [expression] |
Option
If no paths are given, the current directory is used.
The -H, -L and -P options control the treatment of symbolic links.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| -H | Do not follow symbolic links, except while processing the command line arguments. |
| -L | Follow symbolic links. |
| -P | Never follow symbolic links. |
Expression
The expression is made up of options (which affect overall operation rather than the processing of a specific file, and always return true), tests (which return a true or false value), and actions (which have side effects and return a true or false value), all separated by operators. -and is assumed where the operator is omitted.
Tests
| Test | description |
|---|---|
| -name pattern | Base of file name matches shell pattern pattern. |
| -type c | files of type c. |
| -size n[cwbkMG] file uses n units of space | |
| -perm -mode | File’s permission bits are exactly mode |
| -atime n | File was last accessed n*24 hours ago. |
| -cmin n | File’s status was last changed n minutes ago. |
| -cnewer file | File’s status was last changed more recently than file was modified. |
| -ctime n | File’s status was last changed n*24 hours ago. |
| -mtime n | File’s data was last modified n*24 hours ago. |
| -empty | File is empty and is either a regular file or a directory. |
Action
| Action | description |
|---|---|
| print the full file name on the standard output, followed by a newline | |
| -print0 | print the full file name on the standard output, followed by a null character |
| -delete | Delete files; |
| -exec command | Execute command; |
Example
find by name pattern
use -name option to find by name. This is the most common use case.
find .jpg files in ~/Pictures directory hierarchy
1 | find ~/Pictures -name "*.jpg" |
You can also use pattern. Find a file starts with digit
1 | find -name "[0-9]*.log" |
find by type
use -type option to find by file type.
File type
- f - regular file
- d - directory
- b - block (buffered) special
- c - character (unbuffered) special
- p - named pipe (FIFO)
- l - symbolic link
- s - socket
- D - door (Solaris)
find regular file in current directory hierarchy
1 | find -type f |
find directory in current directory hierarchy
1 | find -type d |
find files not matching a pattern
use “not” operator to find a list of files not ending with .png file extension
1 | find . -type f -not -name "*.png" |
find files at certain level
Use -maxdepth levels -mindepth levels to specify the depth. depth 0 means the command line arguments.
1 | find . -maxdepth 1 -type f -name "*.png" |
find by size
use -size option to find files by size
find .java files with size greater than 2k in current directory hierarchy
1 | find -type f -size 2k -name "*.java" |
find by permission
There are three variations.
- -perm mode File’s permission bits are exactly mode (octal or symbolic).
- -perm -mode All of the permission bits mode are set for the file.
- -perm /mode Any of the permission bits mode are set for the file.
find files that is readable, writable for owner, but only readable for the group and other users.
1 | find . -perm 644 |
find files that is readable, writable for owner. group and other users doesn’t matter
1 | find . -perm 600 |
find files that can be read by either owner or group
1 | find . -perm /440 |
find by path
use -path option to find file by path.
find .css files in node_modules folder
1 | find . -name "*.css" -path "**/node_modules/**" |
excluding path
1 | find . -name "*.css" -not -path "**/node_modules/**" |
To exclude multiple paths
1 | find . -name "*.css" -not -path "**/node_modules/**" -not -path "**/.deploy_git/**" |
find by user
find file owned by root
1 | find . -user root |
find by group
find file owned by root group
1 | find . -group root |
find files accessed last week in current directory hierarchy
1 | find -atime -7 |
find files modified in 24 hours in current directory hierarchy
1 | find -mtime -1 |
find files with status change last week in current directory hierarchy
1 | find -ctime -7 |
find empty files in current directory hierarchy
1 | find -empty |