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How to display the last part of the file in the Linux system?
To display the last part of a file, we use the tail command in the Linux system. The tail command is used to display the end of a text file or piped data in the Linux operating system. By default, it displays the last 10 lines of its input to the standard output. It is the complement of the head command.
Syntax
The general syntax of the tail command is as follows −
tail [OPTION]... [FILE]...
Options
Brief description of options available in the tail command:
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| -c, --bytes=[-]NUM | Display the last NUM bytes of each file. Use +NUM to display starting with byte NUM. |
| -f, --follow | Display appended data as the file grows (useful for log files). |
| -F | Same as --follow=name --retry. |
| -n, --lines=[-]NUM | Display the last NUM lines instead of the default 10. |
| -q, --quiet, --silent | Never display headers giving file names. |
| -v, --verbose | Always display headers giving file names. |
| --pid=PID | With -f option, terminate after process ID dies. |
| --help | Display help message and exit. |
| --version | Display version information and exit. |
Examples
Basic Usage
By default, the tail command prints the last ten lines. First, let's create a sample file with multiple lines:
$ cat > text.txt First line... Second line... Third line... Fourth line... Fifth line... Sixth line... Seventh line... Eighth line... Ninth line... Tenth line... Eleventh line... Twelfth line...
Now, use the tail command to display the last 10 lines:
$ tail text.txt
Third line... Fourth line... Fifth line... Sixth line... Seventh line... Eighth line... Ninth line... Tenth line... Eleventh line... Twelfth line...
Display Specific Number of Lines
To display the last n lines, use the -n option. For example, to display the last 4 lines:
$ tail -n 4 text.txt
Ninth line... Tenth line... Eleventh line... Twelfth line...
Display Last Bytes
To display the last 50 bytes of a file:
$ tail -c 50 text.txt
Follow File Changes
The -f option is particularly useful for monitoring log files in real-time:
$ tail -f /var/log/syslog
Common Use Cases
Log monitoring − Use
tail -fto watch log files for new entriesFile inspection − Quickly view the end of large files without opening them completely
Data processing − Extract recent records from data files
System administration − Monitor system logs and application outputs
Conclusion
The tail command is an essential Linux utility for viewing the end portions of files. It's particularly valuable for system administrators monitoring log files and developers tracking application outputs. The -f option makes it indispensable for real-time file monitoring.
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