GNU/Linux Command-Line Tools Summary

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11.3. Text Information Tools

• wc
   

Word count, count how many words you have in a text document. Can also be used to count the lines or bytes within the file.

Use the options -w for words, -l for lines and -c for bytes. Or simply run wc with no options to get all three.

Command syntax:


   

wc -option file.txt




• style
   

To run various readability tests on a particular text file. Will output scores on a number of different readability tests (with no options).

Command syntax:


   

style -options text_file


       Find style in the diction package
        

This command is part of the diction package and does not appear to be used too often these days



• cmp
   

Determines whether or not two files differ, works on any type of file. Very similar to diff only it compares on the binary level instead of just the text.



• diff
   

Compares two text files and output a difference report (sometimes called a "diff") containing the text that differs between two files.

Can be used to create a 'patch' file (which can be used by patch ).

Example:


   

diff file1.txt file2.txt

diff will output a '>' (followed by the line) for each line that isn't in the first file but is in the second file, and it will output a '<' (followed by the line) for each line that is in the first file but not in the second file.



• sdiff
   

Instead of giving a difference report, it outputs the files in two columns, side by side, separated by spaces.



• diff3
   

Same as diff except for three files.



   


• comm
   

Compares two files, line-by-line and prints lines that are unique to file1 (1st column), unique to file2 (2nd column) and common to both files (3rd column).

Use comm with the -1, -2, or -3 to suppress the printing of those particular lines. Simply run comm to have all three listed (ie. unique to files 1 and 2 and common to both).

Command syntax:


   

comm file1 file2




• look
   

To output a list of words in the system dictionary that begin with a given string -- this is useful for finding words that begin with a particular phrase or prefix.

Give the string as an argument; it is not case sensitive.

Command syntax:


   

look string

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