How does '-c' differ from '-l'?

The -c and -l options are used in different command-line utilities in Linux, and they serve distinct purposes:

-c Option

• Meaning: The -c option typically refers to "bytes."
• Usage: It is used to specify the number of bytes to read or display.
• Example: In the head command, head -c 20 filename.txt will display the first 20 bytes of the file filename.txt.

-l Option

• Meaning: The -l option refers to "lines."
• Usage: It is used to specify the number of lines to read or display.
• Example: In the head command, head -n 5 filename.txt (where -n is used to specify lines) will display the first 5 lines of the file filename.txt.

Summary

• -c: Used for specifying a number of bytes.
• -l: Used for specifying a number of lines.

These options are used in various commands, such as head, tail, and wc, but their meanings remain consistent across these utilities.