CAT(1) User Commands CAT(1)

# [NAME](#NAME)

cat - concatenate files and print on the standard output

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

**cat** \[*OPTION*]... \[*FILE*]...

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

Concatenate FILE(s) to standard output.

With no FILE, or when FILE is -, read standard input.

[**-A, --show-all**](#A,)

equivalent to **-vET**

[**-b, --number-nonblank**](#b,)

number nonempty output lines, overrides **-n**

[**-e**](#e)

equivalent to **-vE**

[**-E, --show-ends**](#E,)

display $ or ^M$ at end of each line

[**-n, --number**](#n,)

number all output lines

[**-s, --squeeze-blank**](#s,)

suppress repeated empty output lines

[**-t**](#t)

equivalent to **-vT**

[**-T, --show-tabs**](#T,)

display TAB characters as ^I

[**-u**](#u)

(ignored)

[**-v, --show-nonprinting**](#v,)

use ^ and M- notation, except for LFD and TAB

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

display this help and exit

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

output version information and exit

# [EXAMPLES](#EXAMPLES)

cat f - g

Output f's contents, then standard input, then g's contents.

[cat](#cat)

Copy standard input to standard output.

# [AUTHOR](#AUTHOR)

Written by Torbjorn Granlund and Richard M. Stallman.

# [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)

[**tac**(1)](/man/os/coreutils/tac.1)

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

October 2026 GNU coreutils 9.12

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Document: cat(1) from coreutils 9.12-r6 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/coreutils.git