The “xargs” Command in Linux [5 Practical Examples]

The xargs command in Linux is a helpful tool for processing large lists of inputs and executing commands for each item in the list. It allows you to efficiently process inputs from other commands and automate repetitive tasks. In this article, I will explore the basic usage of the xargs command, as well as some of its options and features, with some practical examples.

A. Description

The xargs command in Linux is a powerful utility for processing and executing inputs from standard input or a file. It is used to construct and run commands based on inputs, which can make repetitive and complex tasks much simpler. Moreover, the xargs command takes items from standard input, separated by newlines, and runs the specified commands with each item as a separate argument.

B. Syntax

The syntax of the xargs command in Linux is simple, as shown below.

xargs [OPTION]... [COMMAND [INITIAL-ARGUMENTS]]

C. Options

The xargs command has multiple options available. Here, I have listed a few of them. However, you can learn more about the xargs command, its options and their uses by checking the man page.

man xargs

Useful Options

Practical Examples of the “xargs” Command in Linux

In Linux, the xargs command is a helpful tool to automate and simplify tasks that involve processing inputs from standard input or a file. In the section below, I will show you some of the most useful applications for the xargs command in Linux.

Example 1: Read the Contents of a File Using “xargs” Command in Linux

You can read the contents of any file using the xargs command with option -a followed by the filename, that you want to read. Here, I will show you the contents of a file named OSInfo.txt using the xargs command. You can read any file using this command by following the steps given below.

Steps to Follow >

➊ First, open the Ubuntu Terminal.

➋ Then, execute the following command.

xargs -a OSInfo.txt

➌ Finally, press the ENTER key.

Output >

In the following image, you can see the contents of the OSInfo.txt file.

---

Similar Readings

• The “killall” Command in Linux [6+ Practical Examples]
• The “kill” Command in Linux [4+ Practical Examples]
• The “ps” Command in Linux [9+ Practical Examples]

---

Example 2: Print Commands that are Executed by the “xargs” Command

The “xargs command in Linux with the -t option is used to print the command line that is executed before running it. This can be useful for debugging or for getting a better understanding of how xargs is processing the input and constructing the command line. There is a file in my machine named list.txt that contains two file names, i.e., OSInfo.txt and time.txt. Now, I will execute the ls -l command with the contents of the list.txt file using the xargs command, and at the same time, I want to display the command that is executed through the xargs command. You can do the same by following the steps given below.

Steps to Follow >

➊ At first, open the Ubuntu Terminal.

➋ Then, execute the following command to see the contents of the list.txt file.

cat list.txt

➌ After that, press the ENTER key.

➍ Now, execute the command below

cat list.txt | xargs -t ls -l

➎ Press the ENTER button again.

Output >

In the following image, you can see that I have displayed the command that is executed due to running the xargs command.

Example 3: Find & Remove a File Using the “xargs” Command in Linux

To remove any file after finding it, you can use the xargs command. Here, in this example, I will find the file named time.txt using the find command and remove that file from my system using the xargs command by following the below syntax.

find -name "filename" | xargs rm -f

You can do the same by following the steps mentioned below.

Steps to Follow >

➊ At first, open the Ubuntu Terminal.

➋ Then, execute the following command.

find -name "time.txt" | xargs -t rm -f

➌ Finally, press the ENTER key.

Output >

In the following image, you can see that I have removed the file named time.txt after finding it.

Example 4: Find and Move Files Using the “xargs” Command in Linux

To move any file after finding it, you can use the xargs command. In this example, I will find the file named list.txt and move that file to the directory named “MF” using the following syntax

find -name "filename" | xargs -I{} mv {} destination_folder

You can do the same by following the steps below.

Steps to Follow >

➊ At first, open the Ubuntu Terminal.

➋ Then, execute the following command.

find -name "list.txt" | xargs -tI {} mv {} MF

➌ After that, press the ENTER key.

➍ Now, check the contents of the MF directory by copying the command given below.

tree MF

➎ Press the ENTER button.

Output >

In the following image, you can see that I have moved the file named tlist.txt to the directory MF after finding it.

Example 5: Find a File & Copy it to Multiple Directories Using “xargs” Command in Linux

You can copy a file to multiple directories after finding it with the help of the xargs command. To do this you have to follow the beow syntax.

find -name "filename" | xargs -I {} sh -c 'cp {} destination_folder1/; cp {} destination_folder2/; cp {} destination_folder3/ …'

In this example, I will find the file OSInfo.txt and then copy it to the directories named dir1, dir2 and dir3. You can do the same by following the below steps.

Steps to Follow >

➊ First, open the Ubuntu Terminal.

➋ Next, run the command to see the amount of time the system has been running.

tree dir{1..3}

➌ Now, tap the ENTER button.

➍Then, execute the command below.

find -name "time.txt" | xargs -I {} sh -c 'cp {} dir1/; cp {} dir2/; cp {} dir3/'

➎ Press the ENTER button.

➏ Execute the command to see the current status of dir1, dir2 and dir3.

tree dir{1..3}

➐ Lastly, hit the ENTER key.

Output >

As you can see in the image below, I have copied the file OSInfo.txt to multiple directories.

Conclusion

The xargs command in Linux is a simple and powerful tool for executing commands based on input from standard input or a file. By utilizing its various options, you can automate complex and repetitive tasks and achieve improved efficiency and productivity in the Linux environment. In simple words, I have designed this article aiming to provide a comprehensive guide to the xargs command, with practical examples to help you get started and become an advanced user.

---

Similar Readings

• The “awk” Command in Linux [11+ Practical Examples]
• The “exec” Command in Linux [8 Practical Examples]
• The “make” Command in Linux [5 Practical Examples]
• The “sleep” Command in Linux [10 Practical Examples]
• The “jobs” Command in Linux [6 Practical Examples]