read command in Linux with Examples Last Updated : 25 Sep, 2024 Suggest changes Share Like Article Like Report read command in the Linux system is used to read from a file descriptor. This command reads up the total number of bytes from the specified file descriptor into the buffer. If the number or count is zero, this command may detect errors. But on success, it returns the number of bytes read. Zero indicates the end of the file. If some errors are found then it returns -1. Let’s look deeper into its usage, syntax, options, and some common examples.SyntaxreadThe read command takes the user's input and stores it into a variable that can be referenced later in the script.Basic read Command ExampleOptions for the read CommandOptionsDescription-pDisplays a prompt before reading input.-tSets a timeout to wait for input.-nLimits the number of characters to read.-sDisables echoing the input (useful for password entry).-dDefines a delimiter other than a newline.read Command Examples in Linuxread command without any option: The read command asks for the user's input and exit once the user provides some input. In the following example we are acquiring the user's name and then showing the user's name with a greeting. echo "what is your name..?";read name;echo "hello $name"ConclusionThe read command's ability to capture user input, read files, and handle input with various options makes it essential for interactive and automated scripts. By mastering this command and its various flags, you can make your shell scripts more dynamic and user-friendly. R rahulkumarmandal Follow Article Tags : Linux-Unix linux-command Linux-Shell-Commands Explore Linux/Unix Tutorial 10 min read Getting Started with LinuxWhat is Linux Operating System 10 min read LINUX Full Form - Lovable Intellect Not Using XP 2 min read Difference between Linux and Windows 7 min read What are Linux Distributions ? 8 min read Difference between Unix and Linux 5 min read Installation with LinuxHow to Install Arch Linux in VirtualBox? 7 min read Fedora Linux Operating System 12 min read How to install Ubuntu on VirtualBox? 6 min read How to Install Linux Mint? 3 min read How to Install Kali Linux on Windows? 2 min read How to Install Linux on Windows PowerShell Subsystem? 2 min read How to Find openSUSE Linux Version? 2 min read How to Install CentOS 2 min read Linux CommandsLinux Commands 15+ min read Essential Unix Commands 7 min read How to Find a File in Linux | Find Command 9 min read Linux File SystemLinux File System 12 min read Linux File Hierarchy Structure 6 min read Linux Directory Structure 6 min read Linux KernelLinux Kernel 4 min read Kernel in Operating System 3 min read How Linux Kernel Boots? 11 min read Difference between Operating System and Kernel 3 min read Linux Kernel Module Programming: Hello World Program 7 min read Linux Loadable Kernel Module 7 min read Loadable Kernel Module - Linux Device Driver Development 4 min read Linux Networking ToolsNetwork configuration and troubleshooting commands in Linux 5 min read How to configure network interfaces in CentOS? 5 min read Command-Line Tools and Utilities For Network Management in Linux 8 min read Linux - Network Monitoring Tools 4 min read Linux ProcessProcesses in Linux/Unix 6 min read How to Manage Process in Linux 4 min read Getting System and Process Information Using C Programming and Shell in Linux 2 min read Process states and Transitions in a UNIX Process 4 min read Linux FirewallLINUX Firewall 7 min read iptables command in Linux with Examples 7 min read How to Configure your Linux Firewall - 3 Methods 12 min read Shell Scripting & Bash ScriptingIntroduction to Linux Shell and Shell Scripting 8 min read What is Terminal, Console, Shell and Kernel? 5 min read How to Create a Shell Script in linux 7 min read Shell Scripting - Different types of Variables 4 min read Bash Scripting - Introduction to Bash and Bash Scripting 12 min read Bash Script - Define Bash Variables and its types 12 min read Shell Scripting - Shell Variables 6 min read Bash Script - Difference between Bash Script and Shell Script 4 min read Shell Scripting - Difference between Korn Shell and Bash shell 3 min read Shell Scripting - Interactive and Non-Interactive Shell 3 min read Shell Script to Show the Difference Between echo “$SHELL†and echo ‘$SHELL’ 4 min read My Profile ${profileImgHtml} My Profile Edit Profile My Courses Join Community Transactions Logout Like