{
"content": [
{
"type": "text",
"text": "# cat (man)\n\n## NAME\n\ncat - concatenate files and print on the standard output\n\n## SYNOPSIS\n\ncat [OPTION]... [FILE]...\n\n## DESCRIPTION\n\nConcatenate FILE(s) to standard output.\n\n## TLDR\n\n> Print and concatenate files.\n\n- Print the contents of a file to `stdout`:\n `cat {{path/to/file}}`\n- Concatenate several files into an output file:\n `cat {{path/to/file1 path/to/file2 ...}} > {{path/to/output_file}}`\n- Append several files to an output file:\n `cat {{path/to/file1 path/to/file2 ...}} >> {{path/to/output_file}}`\n- Copy the contents of a file into an output file without buffering:\n `cat -u {{/dev/tty12}} > {{/dev/tty13}}`\n- Write `stdin` to a file:\n `cat - > {{path/to/file}}`\n\n*Source: tldr-pages*\n\n## Sections\n\n- **NAME**\n- **SYNOPSIS**\n- **DESCRIPTION** (11 subsections)\n- **EXAMPLES**\n- **AUTHOR**\n- **REPORTING BUGS**\n- **COPYRIGHT**\n- **SEE ALSO**\n\nUse structuredContent.sections for detailed options, examples, and full documentation.\n"
}
],
"structuredContent": {
"command": "cat",
"section": "",
"mode": "man",
"summary": "cat - concatenate files and print on the standard output",
"synopsis": "cat [OPTION]... [FILE]...",
"tldr_summary": "Print and concatenate files.",
"tldr_examples": [
{
"description": "Print the contents of a file to `stdout`",
"command": "cat {{path/to/file}}"
},
{
"description": "Concatenate several files into an output file",
"command": "cat {{path/to/file1 path/to/file2 ...}} > {{path/to/output_file}}"
},
{
"description": "Append several files to an output file",
"command": "cat {{path/to/file1 path/to/file2 ...}} >> {{path/to/output_file}}"
},
{
"description": "Copy the contents of a file into an output file without buffering",
"command": "cat -u {{/dev/tty12}} > {{/dev/tty13}}"
},
{
"description": "Write `stdin` to a file",
"command": "cat - > {{path/to/file}}"
}
],
"tldr_source": "official",
"flags": [
{
"flag": "-A",
"long": "--show-all",
"arg": null,
"description": "equivalent to -vET"
},
{
"flag": "-b",
"long": "--number-nonblank",
"arg": null,
"description": "number nonempty output lines, overrides -n"
},
{
"flag": "-e",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": ""
},
{
"flag": "-E",
"long": "--show-ends",
"arg": null,
"description": "display $ at end of each line"
},
{
"flag": "-n",
"long": "--number",
"arg": null,
"description": "number all output lines"
},
{
"flag": "-s",
"long": "--squeeze-blank",
"arg": null,
"description": "suppress repeated empty output lines"
},
{
"flag": "-t",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": ""
},
{
"flag": "-T",
"long": "--show-tabs",
"arg": null,
"description": "display TAB characters as ^I"
},
{
"flag": "-u",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": ""
},
{
"flag": "-v",
"long": "--show-nonprinting",
"arg": null,
"description": "use ^ and M- notation, except for LFD and TAB --help display this help and exit"
},
{
"flag": "",
"long": "--version",
"arg": null,
"description": "output version information and exit"
}
],
"examples": [
"cat f - g",
"Output f's contents, then standard input, then g's contents.",
"cat Copy standard input to standard output."
],
"see_also": [
{
"name": "tac",
"section": "1",
"url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/tac/1/json"
}
],
"section_outline": [
{
"name": "NAME",
"lines": 2,
"subsections": []
},
{
"name": "SYNOPSIS",
"lines": 2,
"subsections": []
},
{
"name": "DESCRIPTION",
"lines": 4,
"subsections": [
{
"name": "-A --show-all",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-A",
"long": "--show-all"
},
{
"name": "-b --number-nonblank",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-b",
"long": "--number-nonblank"
},
{
"name": "-e -vE",
"lines": 1,
"flag": "-e"
},
{
"name": "-E --show-ends",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-E",
"long": "--show-ends"
},
{
"name": "-n --number",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-n",
"long": "--number"
},
{
"name": "-s --squeeze-blank",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-s",
"long": "--squeeze-blank"
},
{
"name": "-t -vT",
"lines": 1,
"flag": "-t"
},
{
"name": "-T --show-tabs",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-T",
"long": "--show-tabs"
},
{
"name": "-u (ignored)",
"lines": 1,
"flag": "-u"
},
{
"name": "-v --show-nonprinting",
"lines": 4,
"flag": "-v",
"long": "--show-nonprinting"
},
{
"name": "--version",
"lines": 2,
"long": "--version"
}
]
},
{
"name": "EXAMPLES",
"lines": 5,
"subsections": []
},
{
"name": "AUTHOR",
"lines": 2,
"subsections": []
},
{
"name": "REPORTING BUGS",
"lines": 3,
"subsections": []
},
{
"name": "COPYRIGHT",
"lines": 5,
"subsections": []
},
{
"name": "SEE ALSO",
"lines": 8,
"subsections": []
}
],
"sections": {
"NAME": {
"content": "cat - concatenate files and print on the standard output\n",
"subsections": []
},
"SYNOPSIS": {
"content": "cat [OPTION]... [FILE]...\n",
"subsections": []
},
"DESCRIPTION": {
"content": "Concatenate FILE(s) to standard output.\n\nWith no FILE, or when FILE is -, read standard input.\n",
"subsections": [
{
"name": "-A --show-all",
"content": "equivalent to -vET\n",
"flag": "-A",
"long": "--show-all"
},
{
"name": "-b --number-nonblank",
"content": "number nonempty output lines, overrides -n\n",
"flag": "-b",
"long": "--number-nonblank"
},
{
"name": "-e -vE",
"content": "",
"flag": "-e"
},
{
"name": "-E --show-ends",
"content": "display $ at end of each line\n",
"flag": "-E",
"long": "--show-ends"
},
{
"name": "-n --number",
"content": "number all output lines\n",
"flag": "-n",
"long": "--number"
},
{
"name": "-s --squeeze-blank",
"content": "suppress repeated empty output lines\n",
"flag": "-s",
"long": "--squeeze-blank"
},
{
"name": "-t -vT",
"content": "",
"flag": "-t"
},
{
"name": "-T --show-tabs",
"content": "display TAB characters as ^I\n",
"flag": "-T",
"long": "--show-tabs"
},
{
"name": "-u (ignored)",
"content": "",
"flag": "-u"
},
{
"name": "-v --show-nonprinting",
"content": "use ^ and M- notation, except for LFD and TAB\n\n--help display this help and exit\n",
"flag": "-v",
"long": "--show-nonprinting"
},
{
"name": "--version",
"content": "output version information and exit\n",
"long": "--version"
}
]
},
"EXAMPLES": {
"content": "cat f - g\nOutput f's contents, then standard input, then g's contents.\n\ncat Copy standard input to standard output.\n",
"subsections": []
},
"AUTHOR": {
"content": "Written by Torbjorn Granlund and Richard M. Stallman.\n",
"subsections": []
},
"REPORTING BUGS": {
"content": "GNU coreutils online help: \nReport any translation bugs to \n",
"subsections": []
},
"COPYRIGHT": {
"content": "Copyright © 2020 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later\n.\nThis is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to\nthe extent permitted by law.\n",
"subsections": []
},
"SEE ALSO": {
"content": "tac(1)\n\nFull documentation \nor available locally via: info '(coreutils) cat invocation'\n\n\n\nGNU coreutils 8.32 January 2026 CAT(1)",
"subsections": []
}
}
}
}