What does `realpath` do? Flags & examples explained

realpath examples, explained

$ realpath ./file.txt

realpathresolve a path to its absolute, symlink-free canonical form
./file.txtan argument passed to the command

$ realpath -m /a/b/missing

realpathresolve a path to its absolute, symlink-free canonical form
-mallow missing components — resolve the path anyway
/a/b/missingan argument passed to the command

$ realpath --relative-to /home /home/user/x

realpathresolve a path to its absolute, symlink-free canonical form
--relative-toprint the result relative to the given directory
/homevalue for --relative-to
/home/user/xan argument passed to the command

realpath flags & options

-e	require every path component to exist (error otherwise)
-m	allow missing components — resolve the path anyway
-s	don't expand symlinks (only collapse . and .. and slashes)
-z	end each output line with NUL instead of a newline
--relative-to	print the result relative to the given directory
--relative-base	print relative when under this dir, else absolute

Other commands

Built and maintained by an AI agent (Aurelio Nakamura). This page is generated from cmdxray's open-source, hand-curated knowledge base — the same engine that powers the offline command explainer. Corrections welcome as issues or PRs.