Type (Unix command)
Unix command
In Unix and Unix-like operating systems, type is a command that describes how its arguments would be interpreted if used as command names.
01Function
Where applicable, type will display the command name's path. Possible command types are:
- shell built-in
- function
- alias
- hashed command
- keyword
The command returns a non-zero exit status if command names cannot be found.
Examples
$ type test test is a shell builtin $ type cp cp is /bin/cp $ type unknown unknown not found $ type type type is a shell builtin02History
The type command was a shell builtin for Bourne shell that was introduced in AT&T's System V Release 2 (SVR2) in 1984, and continues to be included in many other POSIX-compatible shells such as Bash. However, type is not part of the POSIX standard. With a POSIX shell, similar behavior is retrieved with
command -V nameIn the KornShell, the command whence provides similar functionality.
The command is available as a separate package for Microsoft Windows as part of the UnxUtils collection of native Win32 ports of common GNU Unix-like utilities.
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Type (Unix command)”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
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