echo command in Linux with Examples

echo command in linux is used to display line of text/string that are passed as an argument . This is a built in command that is mostly used in shell scripts and batch files to output status text to the screen or a file.

Syntax :

echo [option] [string]

Displaying a text/string :

Syntax :

echo [string]

Example :

Options of echo command

NOTE :- -e here enables the interpretation of backslash escapes

1. \b : it removes all the spaces in between the text

Example :

echo -e "Geeks \bfor \bGeeks"

2. \c : suppress trailing new line with backspace interpretor ‘-e‘ to continue without emitting new line.

Example :

echo -e "Geeks \cfor Geeks"

In above example, text after \c is not printed and omitted trailing new line.

3. \n : this option creates new line from where it is used.

Example :

 echo -e "Geeks \nfor \nGeeks"

4. \t : this option is used to create horizontal tab spaces.

Example :

echo -e "Geeks \tfor \tGeeks"

5. \r : carriage return with backspace interpretor ‘-e‘ to have specified carriage return in output.

Example :

echo -e "Geeks \rfor Geeks"

In the above example, text before \r is not printed.

6. \v : this option is used to create vertical tab spaces.

Example :

echo -e "Geeks \vfor \vGeeks

7. \a : alert return with backspace interpretor ‘-e‘ to have sound alert.

Example :

echo -e "\aGeeks for Geeks

This command when executed, it will produce an alert sound or Bel .

8. echo * : this command will print all files/folders, similar to ls command .

Example :

echo *

9. -n : this option is used to omit echoing trailing newline .

Example :

echo -n "Geeks for Geeks"

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