#Name

tail - Print the end of a file

#Synopsis

$ tail [-f] [-n number] [file]

#Description

tail prints the specified number (10 by default) of lines at the end of file.

#Options

• -f, --follow: Output data as it is written to the file
• -n [+]NUM, --lines [+]NUM: output the last NUM lines, instead of the last 10; or use -n +NUM to output starting with line NUM
• -c [+]NUM, --bytes [+]NUM: output the last NUM bytes; or use -n +NUM to output starting with byte NUM

#Arguments

• file: Target file. If unspecified or -, defaults to the standard input.

#Examples

Print the last 10 lines of README.md:

$ tail README.md

Print the last 42 lines of todo.txt:

$ tail -n 42 todo.txt

Print the last lines as they are written to logs.log:

$ tail -f logs.log

Print everything but the first line of foobar.csv

$ tail -n +2 foobar.csv

Print the last 1337 bytes of leet.txt

$ tail -c 1337 leet.txt

#See also

• head(1)
• cat(1)