Output the first part of files, prints the first part (10 lines by default) of each file.
Syntax
head [options]... [file]...
Options:
-NUMBER
Return the first NUMBER of lines from the file. (must be the first option specified)
-CountOptions
This option is only recognized if it is specified first. Count is a decimal number optionally followed by a size letter ('b', 'k',
'm' for bytes, Kilobytes or Megabytes) , or 'l' to mean count by lines, or other option letters ('cqv').
-c BYTES
--bytes=BYTES
Print the first BYTES bytes, instead of initial lines. Appending
'b' multiplies BYTES by 512, 'k' by 1024, and 'm' by 1048576.
-n N
--lines=N
Output the first N lines.
-q
--quiet
--silent
Never print file name headers.
-v
--verbose
Always print file name headers.
If no files are given (or if given a FILE of '-') head will read from standard input.
If more than one FILE is specified, 'head' will print a one-line header consisting of ==> FILE NAME <== before the output for each FILE.
Two option formats are accepted: the new one, in which numbers are arguments to the options ('-q -n 1'), and the old one, in which the number precedes any option letters ('-1q')
Examples
Extract the first 85 lines from a file:
head -85 file,txt
Extract lines 40-50 from a file, first using head to get the first 50 lines then tail to get the last 10:
head -50 file.txt | tail -10
"If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you..." ~ Rudyard Kipling
Related linux commands:
csplit - Split a file into context-determined pieces.
cut - Divide a file into several parts.
fmt - Reformat paragraph text.
paste - Merge lines of files.
split - Split a file into fixed-size pieces.
tail - Output the last part of files.
Equivalent Windows command:
FOR /F "skip=nlines" - Loop through items
in a text file.