What does `stat` do? Flags & examples explained

stat examples, explained

$ stat file.txt

statdisplay detailed file status — size, permissions, timestamps, inode
file.txtan argument passed to the command

$ stat -L link

statdisplay detailed file status — size, permissions, timestamps, inode
-Lfollow symlinks — stat the file they point to
linkan argument passed to the command

$ stat -t /etc/hosts

statdisplay detailed file status — size, permissions, timestamps, inode
-tterse output — one line of raw numbers
/etc/hostsan argument passed to the command

stat flags & options

-c	use the given custom output format
-f	report on the filesystem the file lives on, not the file
-t	terse output — one line of raw numbers
-L	follow symlinks — stat the file they point to
--format	use the given output format (add a trailing newline)
--printf	like --format, but interpret backslash escapes and add no newline
--dereference	follow symlinks

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.