Name
printf
Synopsis
printfformats
[strings
] printfoption
Print strings using the specified formats. formats can be ordinary text characters, C-language escape characters, C format specifications ending with one of the letters diouxXfeEgGcs or, more commonly, a set of conversion arguments listed here.
Options
- --help
Print usage information and exit.
- --version
Print version information and exit.
Arguments
- %%
Print a single %.
- %b
Print string with \ escapes interpreted.
- %s
Print the next string.
- %n$s
Print the nth string.
- %[-]m[.n]s
Print the next string, using a field that is m characters wide. Optionally, limit the field to print only the first n characters of string. Strings are right-adjusted unless the left-adjustment flag, -, is specified.
Examples
printf '%s %s\n' "My files are in" $HOME
printf '%-25.15s %s\n' "My files are in" $HOME
Get Linux in a Nutshell, 6th Edition now with the O’Reilly learning platform.
O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.