Echo Command - Writing Output on Screen

Echo Command

Echo is a shell built-in command used to display a line of text on standard output.

echo with -e option enables interpretation of backslash escapes

Some backslashes used for different purpose are:

\\	backslash
\a	alert (BEL)
\b	backspace
\c	suppress trailing newline
\f	form feed
\n	new line
\r	carriage return
\t	horizontal tab
\v	vertical tab

Examples of echo command

$ echo Hello world

Hello world

$ echo “Hello world”

Hello world


$ x=5

$ echo “The number is $x”

The number is 5


Printing home directory

$ echo ~

/home/user1

Printing all files and directories present in current directory.

$ echo *

It lists all files and directories.

Wild card expansion can be used with echo

$ echo D*

It shows file or Directory name start with D

$ echo Count_{1..5}

Count_1 Count_2 Count_3 Count_4 Count_5

$ echo Number_{1,3,5}

Number_1 Number_3 Number_5


Print username

$ echo $USER

It will show the name of user login.