---
syntax: markdown
tags: [tldr, osx]
source: https://github.com/tldr-pages/tldr.git
---
# cat

> Print and concatenate files.
> More information: <https://keith.github.io/xcode-man-pages/cat.1.html>.

- Print the contents of a file to `stdout`:

`cat {{path/to/file}}`

- Concatenate several files into an output file:

`cat {{path/to/file1 path/to/file2 ...}} > {{path/to/output_file}}`

- Append several files to an output file:

`cat {{path/to/file1 path/to/file2 ...}} >> {{path/to/output_file}}`

- Copy the contents of a file into an output file without buffering:

`cat -u {{/dev/tty12}} > {{/dev/tty13}}`

- Write `stdin` to a file:

`cat - > {{path/to/file}}`

- Number all output lines:

`cat -n {{path/to/file}}`

- Display non-printable and whitespace characters (with `M-` prefix if non-ASCII):

`cat -v -t -e {{path/to/file}}`
