find

find linux command cheatsheet by Thamizhiniyan C S

Introduction

The find command is used to search for files in a directory hierarchy.

Syntax

find [-H] [-L] [-P] [-D debugopts] [-Olevel] [starting-point...] [expression]

Important Flags

Flag Description

Flag	Description
`-H`	Follow symbolic links on command line only.
`-L`	Follow all symbolic links.
`-P`	Never follow symbolic links.
`-D`	Process debugging option.
`-name`	Matches files/directories by name.
`-type`	Matches files by type.
`-perm`	Matches files by permission.
`-user`	Matches files by owner.
`-mtime`	Matches files by modification time.
`-atime`	Matches files by access time.
`-cmin`	Matches files by changed minutes ago.
`-amin`	Matches files by accessed minutes ago.
`-size`	Matches files by size.
`-writable`	Matches files that are writable.

-H

Follow symbolic links on command line only.

-L

Follow all symbolic links.

-P

Never follow symbolic links.

-D

Process debugging option.

-name

Matches files/directories by name.

-type

Matches files by type.

-perm

Matches files by permission.

-user

Matches files by owner.

-mtime

Matches files by modification time.

-atime

Matches files by access time.

-cmin

Matches files by changed minutes ago.

-amin

Matches files by accessed minutes ago.

-size

Matches files by size.

-writable

Matches files that are writable.

Examples

Command Description

Command	Description
`man find`	Read the manual for the find command
`find . -name flag1.txt`	find the file named “flag1.txt” in the current directory
`find /home -name flag1.txt`	find the file names “flag1.txt” in the /home directory
`find / -type d -name config`	find the directory named config under “/”
`find / -type f -perm 0777`	find files with the 777 permissions (files readable, writable, and executable by all users)
`find / -perm a=x`	find executable files
`find /home -user frank`	find all files for user “frank” under “/home”
`find / -mtime 10`	find files that were modified in the last 10 days
`find / -atime 10`	find files that were accessed in the last 10 day
`find / -cmin -60`	find files changed within the last hour (60 minutes)
`find / -amin -60`	find files accesses within the last hour (60 minutes)
`find / -size 50M`	find files with a 50 MB size
`find / -size +100M`	find files that are larger than 100 MB
`find / -size +100M -type f 2>/dev/null`	redirect errors to “/dev/null” and have a cleaner output
`find / -writable -type d 2>/dev/null`	Find world-writeable folders
`find / -perm -222 -type d 2>/dev/null`	Find world-writeable folders
`find / -perm -o w -type d 2>/dev/null`	Find world-writeable folders
`find / -perm -o x -type d 2>/dev/null`	Find world-executable folders
`find / -name perl*`	Find files/directories named "gcc*"
`find / -name python*`	Find files with setuid, suppress errors
`find / -name gcc*`	Find setuid files, suppress errors
`find / -perm -u=s -type f 2>/dev/null`	Find files with the SUID bit
`find / -perm -4000 2>/dev/null`	Find files with the SUID bit
`find [directory path] -type f -newerat [start date range] ! -newerat [end date range]`	Find files based on date accessed
`find [directory path] -type f -newermt [start date range] ! -newermt [end date range]`	Find files based on date modified
`find [directory path] -type f -newermt '[date and time]'`	Find files modified after a specific date
`find [directory path] -type f -group [group name]`	Find files based on group name
`find [directory] -type l ! -exec test -e {} \; -print`	To perform the search and locate the links that do not work (Find Broken Symbolic Links)

man find

Read the manual for the find command

find . -name flag1.txt

find the file named “flag1.txt” in the current directory

find /home -name flag1.txt

find the file names “flag1.txt” in the /home directory

find / -type d -name config

find the directory named config under “/”

find / -type f -perm 0777

find files with the 777 permissions (files readable, writable, and executable by all users)

find / -perm a=x

find executable files

find /home -user frank

find all files for user “frank” under “/home”

find / -mtime 10

find files that were modified in the last 10 days

find / -atime 10

find files that were accessed in the last 10 day

find / -cmin -60

find files changed within the last hour (60 minutes)

find / -amin -60

find files accesses within the last hour (60 minutes)

find / -size 50M

find files with a 50 MB size

find / -size +100M

find files that are larger than 100 MB

find / -size +100M -type f 2>/dev/null

redirect errors to “/dev/null” and have a cleaner output

find / -writable -type d 2>/dev/null

Find world-writeable folders

find / -perm -222 -type d 2>/dev/null

Find world-writeable folders

find / -perm -o w -type d 2>/dev/null

Find world-writeable folders

find / -perm -o x -type d 2>/dev/null

Find world-executable folders

find / -name perl*

Find files/directories named "gcc*"

find / -name python*

Find files with setuid, suppress errors

find / -name gcc*

Find setuid files, suppress errors

find / -perm -u=s -type f 2>/dev/null

Find files with the SUID bit

find / -perm -4000 2>/dev/null

Find files with the SUID bit

find [directory path] -type f -newerat [start date range] ! -newerat [end date range]

Find files based on date accessed

find [directory path] -type f -newermt [start date range] ! -newermt [end date range]

Find files based on date modified

find [directory path] -type f -newermt '[date and time]'

Find files modified after a specific date

find [directory path] -type f -group [group name]

Find files based on group name

find [directory] -type l ! -exec test -e {} \; -print

To perform the search and locate the links that do not work (Find Broken Symbolic Links)

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