LINUX COMMAND ATLAS · COMMAND GUIDE

Linux locate command

Find paths using a prebuilt filename database; results may need updating.

mlocate/plocate

Syntax

Command form

locate [OPTION]... PATTERN...

6 options

Option	What it does
`-i, --ignore-case`	Match without case sensitivity.
`-b, --basename`	Match only the final path component.
`-c, --count`	Print the number of matches instead of names.
`-r, --regexp REGEXP`	Interpret the pattern as a regular expression.
`-e, --existing`	Print only entries that currently exist.
`-0, --null`	Separate output paths with NUL characters.

2 examples

Find paths using a prebuilt filename database; results may need updating.

locate ssh_config

Search basenames case-insensitively.

locate -i -b 'readme*'

locate searches a database that may be stale or unavailable until updated; it is not a live filesystem scan.