How to redirect standard input?

QuestionsQuestions4 SkillsProPermissions of FilesOct, 18 2025
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You can redirect standard input in Unix-like operating systems using the < operator. This allows you to take input for a command or program from a file instead of the keyboard.

Here’s the basic syntax:

command < inputfile

In this command, inputfile is the file from which the input will be read.

Example

Suppose you have a text file named data.txt that contains some input data. You can redirect the contents of this file to a program that reads from standard input. For example:

sort < data.txt

In this case, the sort command will read the contents of data.txt as if the user had typed it in manually.

Using with Programs

If you have a program that reads from standard input, you can also redirect input to it. For example, if you have a C program compiled to myprogram, you can run:

./myprogram < inputfile

This will feed the contents of inputfile into myprogram as standard input.

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