{
"content": [
{
"type": "text",
"text": "# test (man)\n\n## NAME\n\ntest - check file types and compare values\n\n## SYNOPSIS\n\ntest EXPRESSION\n\n## DESCRIPTION\n\nExit with the status determined by EXPRESSION.\n\n## TLDR\n\n> Check file types and compare values.\n\n- Test if a given variable is equal to a given string:\n `test \"{{$MY_VAR}}\" = \"{{/bin/zsh}}\"`\n- Test if a given variable is empty ([z]ero length):\n `test -z \"{{$GIT_BRANCH}}\"`\n- Test if a [f]ile exists:\n `test -f \"{{path/to/file}}\"`\n- Test if a [d]irectory does not exist:\n `test ! -d \"{{path/to/directory}}\"`\n- If A is true, then do B, or C in the case of an error (notice that C may run even if A fails):\n `test {{condition}} && {{echo \"true\"}} || {{echo \"false\"}}`\n- Use `test` in a conditional statement:\n `if test -f \"{{path/to/file}}\"; then echo \"File exists\"; else echo \"File does not exist\"; fi`\n\n*Source: tldr-pages*\n\n## Sections\n\n- **NAME**\n- **SYNOPSIS** (2 subsections)\n- **DESCRIPTION** (23 subsections)\n- **AUTHOR**\n- **REPORTING BUGS**\n- **COPYRIGHT**\n- **SEE ALSO**\n\nUse structuredContent.sections for detailed options, examples, and full documentation.\n"
}
],
"structuredContent": {
"command": "test",
"section": "",
"mode": "man",
"summary": "test - check file types and compare values",
"synopsis": "test EXPRESSION",
"tldr_summary": "Check file types and compare values.",
"tldr_examples": [
{
"description": "Test if a given variable is equal to a given string",
"command": "test \"{{$MY_VAR}}\" = \"{{/bin/zsh}}\""
},
{
"description": "Test if a given variable is empty ([z]ero length)",
"command": "test -z \"{{$GIT_BRANCH}}\""
},
{
"description": "Test if a [f]ile exists",
"command": "test -f \"{{path/to/file}}\""
},
{
"description": "Test if a [d]irectory does not exist",
"command": "test ! -d \"{{path/to/directory}}\""
},
{
"description": "If A is true, then do B, or C in the case of an error (notice that C may run even if A fails)",
"command": "test {{condition}} && {{echo \"true\"}} || {{echo \"false\"}}"
},
{
"description": "Use `test` in a conditional statement",
"command": "if test -f \"{{path/to/file}}\"; then echo \"File exists\"; else echo \"File does not exist\"; fi"
}
],
"tldr_source": "official",
"flags": [
{
"flag": "",
"long": "--version",
"arg": null,
"description": "output version information and exit An omitted EXPRESSION defaults to false. Otherwise, EXPRESSION is true or false and sets exit status. It is one of: ( EXPRESSION ) EXPRESSION is true ! EXPRESSION EXPRESSION is false EXPRESSION1 -a EXPRESSION2 both EXPRESSION1 and EXPRESSION2 are true EXPRESSION1 -o EXPRESSION2 either EXPRESSION1 or EXPRESSION2 is true"
},
{
"flag": "-n",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": "the length of STRING is nonzero STRING equivalent to -n STRING"
},
{
"flag": "-z",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": "the length of STRING is zero STRING1 = STRING2 the strings are equal STRING1 != STRING2 the strings are not equal INTEGER1 -eq INTEGER2 INTEGER1 is equal to INTEGER2 INTEGER1 -ge INTEGER2 INTEGER1 is greater than or equal to INTEGER2 INTEGER1 -gt INTEGER2 INTEGER1 is greater than INTEGER2 INTEGER1 -le INTEGER2 INTEGER1 is less than or equal to INTEGER2 INTEGER1 -lt INTEGER2 INTEGER1 is less than INTEGER2 INTEGER1 -ne INTEGER2 INTEGER1 is not equal to INTEGER2 FILE1 -ef FILE2 FILE1 and FILE2 have the same device and inode numbers FILE1 -nt FILE2 FILE1 is newer (modification date) than FILE2 FILE1 -ot FILE2 FILE1 is older than FILE2"
},
{
"flag": "-b",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": "FILE exists and is block special"
},
{
"flag": "-c",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": "FILE exists and is character special"
},
{
"flag": "-d",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": "FILE exists and is a directory"
},
{
"flag": "-e",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": "FILE exists"
},
{
"flag": "-f",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": "FILE exists and is a regular file"
},
{
"flag": "-g",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": "FILE exists and is set-group-ID"
},
{
"flag": "-G",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": "FILE exists and is owned by the effective group ID"
},
{
"flag": "-h",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": "FILE exists and is a symbolic link (same as -L)"
},
{
"flag": "-k",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": "FILE exists and has its sticky bit set"
},
{
"flag": "-L",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": "FILE exists and is a symbolic link (same as -h)"
},
{
"flag": "-N",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": "FILE exists and has been modified since it was last read"
},
{
"flag": "-O",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": "FILE exists and is owned by the effective user ID"
},
{
"flag": "-p",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": "FILE exists and is a named pipe"
},
{
"flag": "-r",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": "FILE exists and the user has read access"
},
{
"flag": "-s",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": "FILE exists and has a size greater than zero"
},
{
"flag": "-S",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": "FILE exists and is a socket"
},
{
"flag": "-t",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": ""
},
{
"flag": "-u",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": "FILE exists and its set-user-ID bit is set"
},
{
"flag": "-w",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": "FILE exists and the user has write access"
},
{
"flag": "-x",
"long": null,
"arg": null,
"description": "FILE exists and the user has execute (or search) access Except for -h and -L, all FILE-related tests dereference symbolic links. Beware that paren‐ theses need to be escaped (e.g., by backslashes) for shells. INTEGER may also be -l STRING, which evaluates to the length of STRING. NOTE: Binary -a and -o are inherently ambiguous. Use 'test EXPR1 && test EXPR2' or 'test EXPR1 || test EXPR2' instead. NOTE: [ honors the --help and --version options, but test does not. test treats each of those as it treats any other nonempty STRING. NOTE: your shell may have its own version of test and/or [, which usually supersedes the ver‐ sion described here. Please refer to your shell's documentation for details about the op‐ tions it supports."
}
],
"examples": [],
"see_also": [
{
"name": "access",
"section": "2",
"url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/access/2/json"
}
],
"section_outline": [
{
"name": "NAME",
"lines": 2,
"subsections": []
},
{
"name": "SYNOPSIS",
"lines": 1,
"subsections": [
{
"name": "test",
"lines": 1
},
{
"name": "[ ]",
"lines": 2
}
]
},
{
"name": "DESCRIPTION",
"lines": 4,
"subsections": [
{
"name": "--version",
"lines": 17,
"long": "--version"
},
{
"name": "-n",
"lines": 4,
"flag": "-n"
},
{
"name": "-z",
"lines": 35,
"flag": "-z"
},
{
"name": "-b",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-b"
},
{
"name": "-c",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-c"
},
{
"name": "-d",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-d"
},
{
"name": "-e",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-e"
},
{
"name": "-f",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-f"
},
{
"name": "-g",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-g"
},
{
"name": "-G",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-G"
},
{
"name": "-h",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-h"
},
{
"name": "-k",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-k"
},
{
"name": "-L",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-L"
},
{
"name": "-N",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-N"
},
{
"name": "-O",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-O"
},
{
"name": "-p",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-p"
},
{
"name": "-r",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-r"
},
{
"name": "-s",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-s"
},
{
"name": "-S",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-S"
},
{
"name": "-t",
"lines": 1,
"flag": "-t"
},
{
"name": "-u",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-u"
},
{
"name": "-w",
"lines": 2,
"flag": "-w"
},
{
"name": "-x",
"lines": 16,
"flag": "-x"
}
]
},
{
"name": "AUTHOR",
"lines": 2,
"subsections": []
},
{
"name": "REPORTING BUGS",
"lines": 3,
"subsections": []
},
{
"name": "COPYRIGHT",
"lines": 5,
"subsections": []
},
{
"name": "SEE ALSO",
"lines": 6,
"subsections": []
}
],
"sections": {
"NAME": {
"content": "test - check file types and compare values\n",
"subsections": []
},
"SYNOPSIS": {
"content": "test EXPRESSION",
"subsections": [
{
"name": "test",
"content": "[ EXPRESSION ]"
},
{
"name": "[ ]",
"content": "[ OPTION\n"
}
]
},
"DESCRIPTION": {
"content": "Exit with the status determined by EXPRESSION.\n\n--help display this help and exit\n",
"subsections": [
{
"name": "--version",
"content": "output version information and exit\n\nAn omitted EXPRESSION defaults to false. Otherwise, EXPRESSION is true or false and sets\nexit status. It is one of:\n\n( EXPRESSION )\nEXPRESSION is true\n\n! EXPRESSION\nEXPRESSION is false\n\nEXPRESSION1 -a EXPRESSION2\nboth EXPRESSION1 and EXPRESSION2 are true\n\nEXPRESSION1 -o EXPRESSION2\neither EXPRESSION1 or EXPRESSION2 is true\n",
"long": "--version"
},
{
"name": "-n",
"content": "the length of STRING is nonzero\n\nSTRING equivalent to -n STRING\n",
"flag": "-n"
},
{
"name": "-z",
"content": "the length of STRING is zero\n\nSTRING1 = STRING2\nthe strings are equal\n\nSTRING1 != STRING2\nthe strings are not equal\n\nINTEGER1 -eq INTEGER2\nINTEGER1 is equal to INTEGER2\n\nINTEGER1 -ge INTEGER2\nINTEGER1 is greater than or equal to INTEGER2\n\nINTEGER1 -gt INTEGER2\nINTEGER1 is greater than INTEGER2\n\nINTEGER1 -le INTEGER2\nINTEGER1 is less than or equal to INTEGER2\n\nINTEGER1 -lt INTEGER2\nINTEGER1 is less than INTEGER2\n\nINTEGER1 -ne INTEGER2\nINTEGER1 is not equal to INTEGER2\n\nFILE1 -ef FILE2\nFILE1 and FILE2 have the same device and inode numbers\n\nFILE1 -nt FILE2\nFILE1 is newer (modification date) than FILE2\n\nFILE1 -ot FILE2\nFILE1 is older than FILE2\n",
"flag": "-z"
},
{
"name": "-b",
"content": "FILE exists and is block special\n",
"flag": "-b"
},
{
"name": "-c",
"content": "FILE exists and is character special\n",
"flag": "-c"
},
{
"name": "-d",
"content": "FILE exists and is a directory\n",
"flag": "-d"
},
{
"name": "-e",
"content": "FILE exists\n",
"flag": "-e"
},
{
"name": "-f",
"content": "FILE exists and is a regular file\n",
"flag": "-f"
},
{
"name": "-g",
"content": "FILE exists and is set-group-ID\n",
"flag": "-g"
},
{
"name": "-G",
"content": "FILE exists and is owned by the effective group ID\n",
"flag": "-G"
},
{
"name": "-h",
"content": "FILE exists and is a symbolic link (same as -L)\n",
"flag": "-h"
},
{
"name": "-k",
"content": "FILE exists and has its sticky bit set\n",
"flag": "-k"
},
{
"name": "-L",
"content": "FILE exists and is a symbolic link (same as -h)\n",
"flag": "-L"
},
{
"name": "-N",
"content": "FILE exists and has been modified since it was last read\n",
"flag": "-N"
},
{
"name": "-O",
"content": "FILE exists and is owned by the effective user ID\n",
"flag": "-O"
},
{
"name": "-p",
"content": "FILE exists and is a named pipe\n",
"flag": "-p"
},
{
"name": "-r",
"content": "FILE exists and the user has read access\n",
"flag": "-r"
},
{
"name": "-s",
"content": "FILE exists and has a size greater than zero\n",
"flag": "-s"
},
{
"name": "-S",
"content": "FILE exists and is a socket\n",
"flag": "-S"
},
{
"name": "-t",
"content": "",
"flag": "-t"
},
{
"name": "-u",
"content": "FILE exists and its set-user-ID bit is set\n",
"flag": "-u"
},
{
"name": "-w",
"content": "FILE exists and the user has write access\n",
"flag": "-w"
},
{
"name": "-x",
"content": "FILE exists and the user has execute (or search) access\n\nExcept for -h and -L, all FILE-related tests dereference symbolic links. Beware that paren‐\ntheses need to be escaped (e.g., by backslashes) for shells. INTEGER may also be -l STRING,\nwhich evaluates to the length of STRING.\n\nNOTE: Binary -a and -o are inherently ambiguous. Use 'test EXPR1 && test EXPR2' or 'test\nEXPR1 || test EXPR2' instead.\n\nNOTE: [ honors the --help and --version options, but test does not. test treats each of\nthose as it treats any other nonempty STRING.\n\nNOTE: your shell may have its own version of test and/or [, which usually supersedes the ver‐\nsion described here. Please refer to your shell's documentation for details about the op‐\ntions it supports.\n",
"flag": "-x"
}
]
},
"AUTHOR": {
"content": "Written by Kevin Braunsdorf and Matthew Bradburn.\n",
"subsections": []
},
"REPORTING BUGS": {
"content": "GNU coreutils online help: \nReport any translation bugs to \n",
"subsections": []
},
"COPYRIGHT": {
"content": "Copyright © 2023 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": "access(2)\n\nFull documentation \nor available locally via: info '(coreutils) test invocation'\n\nGNU coreutils 9.4 January 2026 TEST(1)",
"subsections": []
}
}
}
}