NAME

tail − deliver the last part of a file

SYNOPSIS

tail [ options ] [ file ]

DESCRIPTION

Tail copies the named file to the standard output beginning at a designated place.  If you do not specify a file, tail copies the standard input. 

OPTIONS

+number [lbc]
Begins copying at distance +number from the beginning of the file.  −number

-number [lbc]
Begins copying number units from the end of the input.  Tail counts number in units of lines, blocks or characters, according to the appended option l, b or c.  When no units are specified, tail counts by lines. 

−f Causes tail not to quit at end of file.  Instead, tail waits and reads repeatedly in hopes that the file will grow. 

−r Causes tail to print lines from the end of the file in reverse order.  By default, r prints the entire file this way. 

SEE ALSO

dd(1) head(1)

BUGS

Tail stores text specified from the end of the file in a buffer.  Using a buffer limits the length of such copies. 

Various kinds of anomalous behavior can happen with character special files. 

4th Berkeley Distribution  —  March 6, 1986