To locate files or folders on your Linux server through command line or bash, you can use the 'find' command.
The syntax for the find command is as follows :
find {dirctory_to_search} {search_by} {pattern_to_search} [action]For Example, if you wish to search a file called 'filename.php' by name on the entire server.
find / -name filename.php
Some of the popular 'search by' options are :
- -name pattern: This option finds the filenames of the given pattern.
For Example: Find a file named 'myfile.txt' in the 'home' folder of the server.
find /home -name myfile.txt
- -user username: Finds files owned by the given user name.
For Example: Find Files owned by the user 'WPOven' in the '/var/usr' folder of the server
find /var/usr -user WPOven
- -perm permission: Finds files of the given permissions.
For Example: Find all files with permission as '665' in the '/srv' folder
find /srv -perm 665
- -type X: Search files of type X. Here X can be :
f - File
d - Directory
l - Symbolic Link
For Example: Find a directory with name like 'mydir' in the '/var/www' folder
find /var/www -type d -name mydir
- -print File: Print the result full filename followed by a new line.
For Example: Find the files with name temp in the /srv folder and delete them
find /srv -type f -name temp -print | rm -f