apropos

apropos linux command cheatsheet by Thamizhiniyan C S

Introduction

The apropos command is used to search the manual page names and descriptions.

Syntax

apropos [-dalv?V] [-e|-w|-r] [-s list] [-m system[,...]] [-M path] [-L locale] [-C file] keyword ...

Important Flags

Flag Description

Flag	Description
`whatis -d, --debug`	Prints debugging messages.
`whatis -v, --verbose`	Print verbose warning messages.
`whatis -e, --exact`	Search each keyword for exact match.
`whatis -r, --regex`	Interpret each keyword as a regex.
`whatis -w, --wildcard`	The keyword(s) contain wildcards.
`whatis -a, --and`	Require all keywords to match.
`whatis -l, --long`	Do not trim output to terminal width.
`whatis -C, --config-file=FILE`	Uses user-configuration files instead of the $MANPATH.
`whatis -L, --locale=LOCALE`	Define the locale for this search.
`whatis -m, --systems=SYSTEM`	Use manual pages from other systems. Looks for man page descriptions from other OSs.
`whatis -M, --manpath=PATH`	Sets the search path to PATH rather than the default $MANPATH.
`whatis -s, --sections=LIST, --section=LIST`	Search only these sections (colon-separated). Searches only in specific man pages sections.
`whatis -?, --help`	Give this help list.
`whatis --usage`	Give a short usage message.
`whatis -V, --version`	Print program version.

whatis -d, --debug

Prints debugging messages.

whatis -v, --verbose

Print verbose warning messages.

whatis -e, --exact

Search each keyword for exact match.

whatis -r, --regex

Interpret each keyword as a regex.

whatis -w, --wildcard

The keyword(s) contain wildcards.

whatis -a, --and

Require all keywords to match.

whatis -l, --long

Do not trim output to terminal width.

whatis -C, --config-file=FILE

Uses user-configuration files instead of the $MANPATH.

whatis -L, --locale=LOCALE

Define the locale for this search.

whatis -m, --systems=SYSTEM

Use manual pages from other systems. Looks for man page descriptions from other OSs.

whatis -M, --manpath=PATH

Sets the search path to PATH rather than the default $MANPATH.

whatis -s, --sections=LIST, --section=LIST

Search only these sections (colon-separated). Searches only in specific man pages sections.

whatis -?, --help

Give this help list.

whatis --usage

Give a short usage message.

whatis -V, --version

Print program version.

Examples

Command Description

Command	Description
`apropos list`	The apropos primary usage is to find a single keyword in man pages.
`apropos -a list directory`	Add another variable to narrow down the matches.
`apropos "list directory"`	Achieve a similar effect without `-a` by encasing keywords in double quotes.
`apropos delete terminate remove`	Find Either of Two / More Parameters
`apropos -e set`	Find Exact Match
`apropos -s 1,8 list`	Search Specific Sections
`apropos '^list'`	Use Regex Symbols
`apropos "zip(note\|cloak\|info)"`	Use regex to conduct an even more specific search.
`apropos -a -s 3,8 "^list" "(implementation\|devices\|users)"`	As the output shows, each line includes list at the beginning, belongs to section 3 or 8, and has one of the keywords.
`apropos list -l`	To avoid the trimming of descriptions in apropos command output

apropos list

The apropos primary usage is to find a single keyword in man pages.

apropos -a list directory

Add another variable to narrow down the matches.

apropos "list directory"

Achieve a similar effect without `-a` by encasing keywords in double quotes.

apropos delete terminate remove

Find Either of Two / More Parameters

apropos -e set

Find Exact Match

apropos -s 1,8 list

Search Specific Sections

apropos '^list'

Use Regex Symbols

apropos "zip(note|cloak|info)"

Use regex to conduct an even more specific search.

apropos -a -s 3,8 "^list" "(implementation|devices|users)"

As the output shows, each line includes list at the beginning, belongs to section 3 or 8, and has one of the keywords.

apropos list -l

To avoid the trimming of descriptions in apropos command output

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Last updated 4 months ago