When working with Linux, efficiency is everything. In this tutorial, we’re diving into one of the most powerful and flexible tools available: the find command in Linux. Whether you’re managing thousands of files or just trying to locate a single forgotten document, this command-line tool has you covered.
The find command in Linux is used to search for files and directories based on various criteria such as name, size, type, date modified, and more. It’s extremely versatile and can search through an entire filesystem or just specific directories.
You can access the official documentation for the find command here
The find command complements the equally useful grep command, which you can learn more about here.
Who Uses the find Command?
The find command in Linux is a must-know for:
DevOps Engineers
Linux System Administrators
Cybersecurity Analysts
Developers and QA Engineers
Data Analysts and Scientists
If your daily grind involves managing files or troubleshooting systems, mastering the find command will save you tons of time.
Basic Syntax of find
The basic structure of the find command in Linux is:
find [path] [options] [expression]
Example:
find /home -name notes.txt
This searches for a file named notes.txt starting in the /home directory.
Top 5 Useful find Commands (With Comments)
1. Find Files by Name
find / -name "example.txt"
Case-insensitive version:
find / -iname "example.txt"
Use this to find a specific file anywhere on the system. It’s a lifesaver when you forget where you saved that config!
2. Find Files by Extension
find /var/log -name "*.log"
Perfect for locating all log files, especially when doing system audits.
3. Find and Delete Files (Careful!)
find /tmp -type f -name "*.tmp" -delete
Clean up temp files quickly. Great for system maintenance. Always double-check before using -delete.
4. Find Files by Size
find / -size +100M
Hunt down large files taking up space. Useful for freeing up disk space.
5. Find Files Modified in Last 7 Days
find /home -mtime -7
Handy for tracking recent changes or uploads.
6. Find All .log Files
find /var/log -type f -name "*.log"
Searches for all .log files in /var/log. Great for auditing or cleanup.
7. Find Files by Type (Files Only)
find /etc -type f
Lists all files (not directories) in /etc. Helps focus your search.
8. Find Directories Only
find /var -type d
Finds only directories. Useful for checking structure or empty folders.
9. Find Files by Size (>100MB)
find / -size +100M
Identifies large files over 100MB. Useful when running out of disk space.
10. Find Files Smaller Than 10KB
find /tmp -size -10k
Finds tiny files. Useful for cleanup or analyzing unnecessary small files.
11. Find Files Accessed in Last 1 Day
find /home -atime -1
Great for seeing what files were accessed recently (useful for forensic checks).
12. Find Files and Run a Command (with -exec)
find /var/log -name "*.log" -exec gzip {} \;
Compresses each .log file found. Replace gzip with any command.
13. Find Files and Prompt Before Deleting
find /tmp -name "*.tmp" -ok rm {} \;
Like -exec but safer — asks before deleting each file.
14. Find Empty Files
find /home -type f -empty
Useful for identifying and removing zero-byte files.
15. Find Empty Directories
find /var -type d -empty
Helps clean up unused directories.
16. Find Files Owned by a User
find / -user username
Lists all files belonging to a specific user — great for audits.
17. Find Files with Specific Permissions
find / -type f -perm 644
Finds files with permission 644. Helps check for insecure or misconfigured files.
18. Find Files Not Matching Permission
find / -type f ! -perm 644
Shows files not having 644 permissions — great for security checks.
19. Find Files Modified Between 7 and 14 Days Ago
find /home -mtime +7 -mtime -14
Narrows down modification time to a specific week range.
20. Find Files and List Details
find /home -type f -exec ls -lh {} \;
Lists each found file with size and permissions — combines find with ls.
Why You Should Use the find Command in Linux
Using the find command in Linux can:
- Speed up your troubleshooting
- Help you automate maintenance tasks
- Make you look like a command-line ninja ✨
Stay tuned for part two, where we’ll explore advanced find options like -exec, searching by permissions, and combining find with grep!
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