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# Linux file command [ Linux Command Manual](#) The Linux `file` command is used to identify file types. Using the `file` command, we can determine the type of a file. ### Syntax file [-m ...][file or directory...] **Parameters**: * `-b` Do not display the filename when listing identification results. * `-c` Display the command execution process in detail, which is convenient for troubleshooting or analyzing program execution. * `-f` Specify a name file, which contains one or more filenames, and let `file` identify these files in sequence. The format is one filename per line. * `-L` Directly display the category of the file pointed to by the symbolic link. * `-m` Specify magic number files. * `-v` Display version information. * `-z` Try to interpret the contents of compressed files. * `[file or directory...]` A list of files or directories to identify. Separate multiple files with spaces. Shell wildcards can be used to match multiple files. ### Examples Display file type: [root@localhost ~]# file install.log install.log: UTF-8 Unicode text [root@localhost ~]# file -b install.log <== Do not display filename UTF-8 Unicode text [root@localhost ~]# file -i install.log spool/mail [root@localhost ~]# file /var/mail /var/mail: symbolic link to `spool/mail' [root@localhost ~]# file -L /var/mail /var/mail: directory [root@localhost ~]# file /var/spool/mail /var/spool/mail: directory [root@localhost ~]# file -L /var/spool/mail /var/spool/mail: directory [ Linux Command Manual](#)