tldr/pages/linux/cat.md

# cat

> Print and concatenate files.
> More information: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/manual/html_node/cat-invocation.html>.

- Print the contents of a file to `stdout`:

`cat {{path/to/file}}`

- Concatenate several files into an output file:

`cat {{path/to/file1 path/to/file2 ...}} > {{path/to/output_file}}`

- Append several files to an output file:

`cat {{path/to/file1 path/to/file2 ...}} >> {{path/to/output_file}}`

- Write `stdin` to a file:

`cat - > {{path/to/file}}`

- Number all output lines:

`cat {{[-n|--number]}} {{path/to/file}}`

- Display non-printable and whitespace characters (with `M-` prefix if non-ASCII):

`cat {{[-vte|--show-nonprinting -t -e]}} {{path/to/file}}`