PATHCHK(1) User Commands PATHCHK(1)

# [NAME](#NAME)

pathchk - check whether file names are valid or portable

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

**pathchk** \[*OPTION*]... *NAME*...

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

Diagnose invalid or non-portable file names.

[**-p**](#p)

check for most POSIX systems

[**-P**](#P)

check for empty names and leading "-"

[**--portability**](#portability)

check for all POSIX systems (equivalent to **-p** **-P**)

[**--help**](#help)

display this help and exit

[**--version**](#version)

output version information and exit

# [AUTHOR](#AUTHOR)

Written by Paul Eggert, David MacKenzie, and Jim Meyering.

# [REPORTING BUGS](#REPORTING_BUGS)

Report bugs to: <bug-coreutils@gnu.org>.  
Report any translation bugs to: <https://translationproject.org/team/>.  
GNU coreutils home page: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>  
General help using GNU software: <https://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>

# [COPYRIGHT](#COPYRIGHT)

Copyright © 2026 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.  
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

Full documentation <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/pathchk>  
or available locally via: info '(coreutils) pathchk invocation'

October 2026 GNU coreutils 9.12

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Document: pathchk(1) from coreutils 9.12-r5 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/coreutils.git