An important aspect of file management is the ability to search for files. In UNIX this is done with the find command, which has many different uses. The general form is:

% find pathname(s) condition(s) .          

The pathname argument is one or more directories where you want to begin the search. The find command descends each pathname, along with any subdirectories it encounters, and displays the matching files. The condition argument is optional. It specifies one or more conditions that modify the search. For example, you can search for files with a particular name, ownership, modification time, or file type such as directories or regular files. The following SlideShow shows some simple examples of how the find command is used.

Use the man find command to learn more details and access additional examples, including some that are complex.
With some versions of UNIX, in order for the find command to display results, you must explicitly specify -print as a condition. In SunOS, the version used in this course, you can omit -print because it is assumed by default.
In the next lesson, this module will be concluded by reviewing key commands, terms, and concepts, and then take a quiz.

Click the Exercise link below to practice creating a link and finding files.
Finding Unix Files - Exercise