Overview
realpath interprets all symbolic links in a given path and removes relative path components to return a standardized absolute path. This is essential for accurately identifying the actual location of objects within the file system.
Key Features
- Resolves symbolic links
- Converts relative paths to absolute paths
- Normalizes paths (e.g., removes `//`, `/./`, `/../`)
Key Options
The realpath command offers several useful options to control path resolution behavior.
Path Handling Options
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Description:
`realpath` Executes the command.
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Usage Examples
Various usage examples of the realpath command.
Get Absolute Path of Current Directory
realpath .Outputs the actual absolute path of the current working directory.
Get Real Absolute Path of a Specific File
realpath my_document.txtOutputs the actual absolute path of the specified file.
Get Real Target Path of a Symbolic Link
ln -s /etc/hosts myhosts
realpath myhostsOutputs the absolute path of the actual file or directory that the symbolic link points to. (Creating a symbolic link for example)
Normalize Path Without Resolving Symlinks
ln -s /etc/hosts myhosts
realpath -s myhostsOutputs the given path in a normalized form without following symbolic links.
Output Path Relative to a Specific Directory
realpath --relative-to=/home/user /home/user/documents/report.pdfOutputs the path relative to the target path with respect to the specified base directory (`--relative-to`).
Tips & Notes
realpath is very useful for eliminating path uncertainty in scripts, enhancing security and accuracy.
Importance of Path Normalization
realpath automatically removes redundant path components like `//`, `/./`, and `/../`, providing the most concise and accurate absolute path. This reduces potential errors when comparing paths or accessing files in scripts.
Using with xargs
find . -type f -print0 | xargs -0 realpath -zWhen processing the real paths of multiple files, using the `-z` option with `xargs -0` allows for safe handling of filenames that contain spaces or special characters.
Handling Non-existent Paths
realpath fundamentally requires paths to exist to function. Executing it on a non-existent path will return an error. To handle this in scripts, it's advisable to either suppress error messages using the `-q` option or first check for path existence using `test -e`.