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xargs Command in Linux

xargs Command in Linux

By Team Scaler
3 mins read
Last updated: 31 Dec 2023
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Topics Covered

Overview

The xargs command in Linux is a powerful utility that reads items from standard input and executes a command based on them. This versatile tool serves as a bridge between two commands, allowing you to manipulate the output of one command as the input of another. Its primary purpose is to handle the limitations of certain commands that cannot accept standard input.

Syntax of xargs Command in Linux

The basic syntax of the xargs command in Linux is as follows:

Where:

  • options: These are optional parameters that modify the behavior of the xargs command.
  • command: This is the command to be executed for each input item received by xargs.
  • initial-arguments: These are the initial set of arguments that are passed to the command before any input from xargs.

Options in xargs Command in Linux

  1. -p: Prompts the user before executing each command.

    For example -

    Output:

    This command attempts to remove files named '1', '2', '3', and asks for user confirmation before each operation.

  2. -n: Limits the number of arguments for each command invocation.

    For example -

    Output:

    This command outputs '1', '2', and '3' on separate lines because -n 1 forces xargs to use one argument per line.

  3. -I: Allows you to specify a placeholder to be replaced in the initial-arguments.

    For example -

    This command copies 'file1.txt' and 'file2.txt' to the 'new_directory'. The '%' is a placeholder for each input item.

Example Usages

  • Use xargs to delete multiple files.:

    Explanation: This command deletes 'file1.txt' and 'file2.txt'. The echo command sends these filenames to xargs, which then invokes the rm command for each.

  • Use xargs with find to search and delete all '.txt' files.:

    Explanation: The find command searches for all '.txt' files, and its output is piped to xargs, which removes each file found.

Tips

  • Be careful when using xargs with destructive commands like rm. Always check your command before executing.

  • Use -p option to ensure that you have control over what gets executed, particularly when working with important files.

Advanced Use Cases of xargs Command in Linux

  • Using xargs to run commands in parallel.:

    Explanation: This command prints the numbers 1 to 100 in 4 separate batches of 20. The -P 4 runs 4 processes at a time.

  • Using xargs with grep to find specific text in multiple files.:

    Explanation: This command lists all text files, and for each file, uses grep to find lines containing 'Linux'.

  • Using xargs to copy multiple files to a new directory.:

    Explanation: This command copies 'file1.txt', 'file2.txt', and 'file3.txt' to 'new_directory'. '{}' is a placeholder that represents each input item.

Conclusion

  • xargs command in Linux is a powerful tool for manipulating standard input to execute commands.

  • The xargs command handles limitations of commands that cannot accept standard input.

  • xargs provides a range of options to control its behavior, making it extremely flexible.

  • Caution must be taken when using xargs with destructive operations.