cat command in Linux/Unix

Linux cat command.

cat command is used to display the content of text files and to combine several files to one file.

The cat command does not accept directories.

cat command syntax

$ cat [options] file1 [file2...]

cat command main options:

option	description
cat -b	add line numbers to non blank lines
cat -n	add line numbers to all lines
cat -s	squeeze blank lines to one line
cat -E	show $ at the end of line
cat -T	show ^I instead of tabs

View text file data:

$ cat list1.txt
milk
bread
apples

$ cat list2.txt
house
car

$

Combine 2 text files:

$ cat list1.txt list2.txt
milk
bread
apples

house
car

$

Combine 2 text files to another file:

$ cat list1.txt list2.txt > todo.txt
$