Main Options
The `dirname` command is very simple and has very few complex options. It is mainly used alone or with the `-z` option.
1. Basic Usage
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Description:
`dirname` Executes the command.
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Commonly Used Examples
The `dirname` command is used in various scripts that handle file paths. Learn the basic usage through the examples below.
Extracting Basic Directory Path
dirname /home/user/documents/file.txtOutputs the directory path excluding the file name from the file path.
Extracting Current Directory Path
dirname file.txtIf there is no file name, it outputs the current directory, which is '.'.
Extracting Root Directory Path
dirname /Running `dirname` on the root directory `/` will output `/`.
Usage in Shell Scripts
SCRIPT_DIR=$(dirname "$0")
CONFIG_FILE="$SCRIPT_DIR/config.ini"
echo "Configuration file path: $CONFIG_FILE"It is useful when referencing other files based on the location of the current script file.
dirname vs basename
`dirname` and `basename` perform opposing functions and are essential for handling file paths.
- dirname: Extracts only the directory path from the file path. (e.g., `/home/user/documents`)
- basename: Extracts only the file name from the file path. (e.g., `file.txt`)