The whereis and which commands serve different purposes in locating files related to commands in a Linux system:
-
whereis <command>:- Searches for the binary executable, source code, and manual pages associated with the specified command.
- Provides a comprehensive output that includes multiple file types and locations.
- Searches in predefined directories, which may include system paths for binaries, libraries, and man pages.
-
which <command>:- Searches specifically for the binary executable of the specified command.
- Returns the path of the first matching executable found in the directories listed in the
PATHenvironment variable. - Does not provide information about source files or manual pages.
In summary, whereis gives a broader view of all related files, while which focuses solely on finding the executable file for a command.
