find

The `find` command is a powerful Unix/Linux utility designed for searching files and directories within a specified hierarchy based on complex criteria. It can locate files by name, type, size, modification time, permissions, and more, then execute arbitrary commands or actions on the matched…

Key facts

First appeared: 1974
Category: technology
Problem solved: The `find` command was created to provide a systematic and efficient way to locate files within a filesystem based on various attributes and perform subsequent actions on them, addressing the limitations of manual directory traversal and simpler, non-recursive listing tools.
Platforms: OpenBSD, Solaris, Windows (via Cygwin, WSL, Git Bash), FreeBSD, HP-UX, macOS, Linux, AIX, NetBSD

Related technologies

grep
rm
bash
tar
awk
xargs
mv
sed
cp

Notable users

Power Users
System Administrators
Software Developers
Researchers
DevOps Engineers