ECHO(1) fish-shell ECHO(1)

# [NAME](#NAME)

echo - display a line of text

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

```
echo [OPTIONS] [STRING]
```

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

NOTE: This page documents the fish builtin **echo**. To see the documentation on any non-fish versions, use **command man echo**.

**echo** displays *STRING* of text.

The following options are available:

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

Do not output a newline.

[**-s**](#s)

Do not separate arguments with spaces.

[**-E**](#E)

Disable interpretation of backslash escapes (default).

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

Enable interpretation of backslash escapes.

Unlike other shells, this echo accepts **--** to signal the end of the options.

# [ESCAPE SEQUENCES](#ESCAPE_SEQUENCES)

If **-e** is used, the following sequences are recognized:

- **\\** backslash
- **\\a** alert (BEL)
- **\\b** backspace
- **\\c** produce no further output
- **\\e** escape
- **\\f** form feed
- **\\n** new line
- **\\r** carriage return
- **\\t** horizontal tab
- **\\v** vertical tab
- **\\0NNN** byte with octal value NNN (1 to 3 digits)
- **\\xHH** byte with hexadecimal value HH (1 to 2 digits)

# [EXAMPLE](#EXAMPLE)

```
> echo 'Hello World'
Hello World
> echo -e 'Top\nBottom'
Top
Bottom
> echo -- -n
-n
```

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

•

the printf <> command, for more control over output formatting

# [Copyright](#Copyright)

fish-shell developers

September 9, 2026 4.9

---

Document: echo(1) from fish 4.9.3-r0 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://github.com/fish-shell/fish-shell