FMT(1) User Commands FMT(1)

# [NAME](#NAME)

fmt - simple optimal text formatter

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

**fmt** \[*-WIDTH*] \[*OPTION*]... \[*FILE*]...

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

Reformat each paragraph in the FILE(s), writing to standard output. The option **-WIDTH** is an abbreviated form of **--width**=*DIGITS*.

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

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.

[**-c, --crown-margin**](#c,)

preserve indentation of first two lines

[**-p, --prefix=STRING**](#p,)

reformat only lines beginning with STRING, reattaching the prefix to reformatted lines

[**-s, --split-only**](#s,)

split long lines, but do not refill

[**-t, --tagged-paragraph**](#t,)

indentation of first line different from second

[**-u, --uniform-spacing**](#u,)

one space between words, two after sentences

[**-w, --width=WIDTH**](#w,)

maximum line width (default of 75 columns)

[**-g, --goal=WIDTH**](#g,)

goal width (default of 93% of width)

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

display this help and exit

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

output version information and exit

# [AUTHOR](#AUTHOR)

Written by Ross Paterson.

# [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/fmt>  
or available locally via: info '(coreutils) fmt invocation'

October 2026 GNU coreutils 9.12

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Document: fmt(1) from coreutils 9.12-r7 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/coreutils.git