find command#

The find command is used to search for files in a specified directory. Any string placed before the parameters will be considered as the directory name to search for. If no parameters are set when using this command, the find command will search for subdirectories and files in the current directory and display all the found subdirectories and files.

Syntax#

find [-H] [-L] [-P] [-Olevel] [-D help|tree|search|stat|rates|opt|exec|time] [path...] [expression]

Parameters#

• -amin<minute>: Search for files or directories that have been accessed at the specified time, measured in minutes.
• -anewer<file or folder>: Find files or directories whose access time is closer to the present time than the specified file or folder.
• -atime<day>: Search for files or directories that have been accessed at the specified time, measured in days.
• -cmin<minute>: Search for files or directories that have been changed at the specified time.
• -cnewer<file or folder>: Find files or directories whose change time is closer to the present time than the specified file or folder.
• -ctime<day>: Search for files or directories that have been changed at the specified time, measured in days.
• -daystart: Calculate time from the beginning of the current day.
• -depth: Start the search from the deepest subdirectory under the specified directory.
• -empty: Find files with a size of 0 Byte or directories with no subdirectories or files inside.
• -exec<command>: Execute the command if the return value of the find command is True.
• -false: Set the return value of the find command to False.
• -fls<file list>: Similar to the -ls parameter, but saves the results to the specified list file.
• -follow: Exclude symbolic links.
• -fprint<file list>: Similar to the -print parameter, but saves the results as a specified list file.
• -fprint0<file list>: Similar to the -print0 parameter, but saves the results as a specified list file.
• -fprintf<file list><output format>: Similar to the -printf parameter, but saves the results as a specified list file.
• -fstype<file system type>: Only search for files or directories in the specified file system type.
• -gid<group id>: Find files or directories with the specified group identification code.
• -group<group name>: Find files or directories with the specified group name.
• -help, --help: Online help.
• -ilname<template style>: Similar to the -lname parameter, but ignores differences in character case.
• -iname<template style>: Similar to the -name parameter, but ignores differences in character case.
• -inum<inode num>: Find files or directories with the specified inode number.
• -ipath<template style>: Similar to the -path parameter, but ignores differences in character case.
• -iregex<template style>: Similar to the -regexe parameter, but ignores differences in character case.
• -links<number of connections>: Find files or directories with the specified number of hard links.
• -iname<template style>: Specify a string as a template style for finding symbolic links.
• -ls: List the file or directory names to standard output if the return value of the find command is True.
• -maxdepth<directory level>: Set the maximum directory level.
• -mindepth<directory level>: Set the minimum directory level.
• -mmin<minute>: Search for files or directories that have been changed at the specified time, measured in minutes.
• -mount: Same effect as specifying -xdev.
• -mtime<24 hour>: Search for files or directories that have been changed at the specified time, measured in 24 hours.
• -name<template style>: Specify a string as a template style for finding files or directories.
• -newer<file or folder>: Find files or directories whose change time is closer to the present time than the specified file or folder.
• -nogroup: Find files or directories that do not belong to the local host's group identification code.
• -noleaf: Do not consider directories that must have at least two hard links.
• -nouser: Find files or directories that do not belong to the local host's user identification code.
• -ok<command>: Similar to the -exec parameter, but asks the user before executing the command. If the user answers y or Y, the command will not be executed.
• -path<template style>: Specify a string as a template style for finding directories.
• -perm<permission value>: Find files or directories with the specified permission value.
• -print: List the file or directory names to standard output if the return value of the find command is True. The format is one name per line, prefixed with ./.
• -print0: List the file or directory names to standard output if the return value of the find command is True. The format has all names on the same line.
• -printf<output format>: List the file or directory names to standard output if the return value of the find command is True. The format can be specified.
• -prune: Do not search for the string as a template style for finding files or directories.
• -regex<template style>: Specify a string as a template style for finding files or directories.
• -size<file size>: Find files with the specified file size.
• -true: Set the return value of the find command to True.
• -type<file type>: Only search for files of the specified file type.
• -uid<user id>: Find files or directories with the specified user identification code.
• -used<day>: Search for files or directories that have been accessed after being changed and were accessed at the specified time, measured in days.
• -user<owner name>: Find files or directories with the specified owner name.
• -version, --version: Display version information.
• -xdev: Limit the scope to the forefront file system.
• -xtype<file type>: Similar to the -type parameter, but specifically checks for symbolic links.

Example#

Find all files with the extension py in the directory /tmp/ and its subdirectories.

find /tmp/ -name *.py
# /tmp/file.py

Find all regular files in the directory /tmp/ and its subdirectories.

find /tmp/ -type f
# /tmp/file.c
# /tmp/file.txt
# /tmp/a.out
# /tmp/www/1.txt
# /tmp/file.py
# /tmp/file
# ...

Find all files that have been changed within the last 1 day in the directory /tmp/ and its subdirectories. Use +1 to represent files changed more than 1 day ago.

find /tmp/ -ctime -1
# /tmp/
# /tmp/1
# /tmp/file.txt
# /tmp/file

Find all regular files in the directory /tmp/ and its subdirectories that were modified more than 7 days ago, and ask for confirmation before deleting them.

find /tmp/ -type f -mtime +7 -ok rm {} \;
# < rm ... /tmp/file.py > ? n
# ...

Find all files in the directory /tmp/ and its subdirectories where the owner has read and write permissions, and the group and others have read permissions.

find /tmp/  -type f -perm 644 -exec ls -l {} \;
# -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 60 Jul 22 19:55 /tmp/file.c
# -rw-r--r-- 1 www www 73 Jul 23 20:54 /tmp/file.txt
# ...

Find all regular files in the directory /tmp/ and its subdirectories with a size of 0 and list their full paths.

find /tmp/ -type f -size 0 -exec ls -l {} \;
# -rwx------ 1 root root 0 Jul 11 17:25 /tmp/file.py

EveryDay#

Reference#