OS Manuals

/usr/bin/join

Cross-platform Rust rewrite of the GNU coreutils.

From uutils 0.12.0-r6 (os), captured 2026-11-07 by running join --help (exit 0). permalink

For each pair of input lines with identical join fields, write a line to
standard output. The default join field is the first, delimited by blanks.

When FILE1 or FILE2 (not both) is -, read standard input.

Usage: join [OPTION]... FILE1 FILE2

Options:
  -a <FILENUM>           also print unpairable lines from file FILENUM, where
                         FILENUM is 1 or 2, corresponding to FILE1 or FILE2 [possible values: 1, 2]
  -v <FILENUM>           like -a FILENUM, but suppress joined output lines [possible values: 1, 2]
  -e <EMPTY>             replace missing input fields with EMPTY
  -i, --ignore-case      ignore differences in case when comparing fields
  -j <FIELD>             equivalent to '-1 FIELD -2 FIELD'
  -o <FORMAT>            obey FORMAT while constructing output line
  -t <CHAR>              use CHAR as input and output field separator
  -1 <FIELD>             join on this FIELD of file 1
  -2 <FIELD>             join on this FIELD of file 2
      --check-order      check that the input is correctly sorted, even if all input lines are
                         pairable
      --nocheck-order    do not check that the input is correctly sorted
      --header           treat the first line in each file as field headers, print them without
                         trying to pair them
  -z, --zero-terminated  line delimiter is NUL, not newline
  -h, --help             Print help
  -V, --version          Print version
Options (15)
OptionDescriptionSource
-a FILENUMalso print unpairable lines from file FILENUM, where FILENUM is 1 or 2, corresponding to FILE1 or FILE2 [possible values: 1, 2]help + man
-v FILENUMlike -a FILENUM, but suppress joined output lines [possible values: 1, 2]help + man
-e EMPTYreplace missing input fields with EMPTYhelp + man
-i, --ignore-caseignore differences in case when comparing fieldshelp + man
-j FIELDequivalent to '-1 FIELD -2 FIELD'help + man
-o FORMATobey FORMAT while constructing output linehelp + man
-t CHARuse CHAR as input and output field separatorhelp + man
-1 FIELDjoin on this FIELD of file 1help + man
-2 FIELDjoin on this FIELD of file 2help + man
--check-ordercheck that the input is correctly sorted, even if all input lines are pairablehelp + man
--nocheck-orderdo not check that the input is correctly sortedhelp + man
--headertreat the first line in each file as field headers, print them without trying to pair themhelp + man
-z, --zero-terminatedline delimiter is NUL, not newlinehelp + man
-h, --helpPrint helphelp + man
-V, --versionPrint versionhelp + man

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.