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Linux · Linux and Bash

head Help and Syntax

Display usage, options, and built-in help for the Linux command head.

Copy-ready commandhead Help and Syntax
head --help
Production warning

Help and syntax commands are generally read-only. The original command shown for context may change systems or data; review it before execution.

Requirements and permissions

Requirements
Linux with the referenced utility installed
Permissions
No elevated permissions are normally required to view help; local policy and shell access still apply.
Last reviewed
2026-07-31

Examples

Display the full reference

Requests the command's built-in usage information without performing its normal operation.

head --help

Original command context

The original head example is included for context. Review all parameters before using it in production.

head -n 20 /var/log/syslog

Common errors

Unknown option --help

Try 'man head' or 'info head' because some Unix utilities use manual pages instead of a --help option.