4.3.3. find — search for files

Search for files using their file name, file type etc.,

For example, to find files in the home directory with .bash in their name, use the command:

find ~ -name ".bash*"

Output:

/home/user/.bashrc
/home/user/.bash_history
/home/user/.bash_logout

Note

The ~ here is a shortcut for home directory.

The asterisk symbol (*) in .bash* acts as a wildcard.

The find command does not use a database, so the search will be slower when compared to locate. However, it can identify files that were created or modified recently.