What is the use of -E option in cat command?

The -E Option in the cat Command

The -E option in the cat command is used to display the end-of-line character ($) at the end of each line. This can be particularly useful when you want to visually identify the end of each line in the output, especially when dealing with files that contain hidden characters or when you need to ensure that the output is displayed correctly.

Here's how the -E option works:

Displaying End-of-Line Characters: When you use the cat command with the -E option, it will append a $ character to the end of each line in the output. This can help you identify the end of each line, which can be useful when working with files that contain hidden characters or when you need to ensure that the output is displayed correctly.
Troubleshooting Formatting Issues: The -E option can be helpful when you're trying to troubleshoot formatting issues in a file. For example, if a file has extra spaces or tabs at the end of each line, the -E option can help you identify these issues more easily.

Here's an example of using the cat command with the -E option:

$ cat -E file.txt
This is the first line.$
This is the second line.$
This is the third line.$

In this example, the $ character is displayed at the end of each line, indicating the end-of-line character.

The -E option can be combined with other cat options, such as -n (to display line numbers) or -T (to display tab characters as ^I), to provide even more detailed information about the file's contents.

graph TD A[cat command] --> B[Display end-of-line character ($)] B --> C[Identify hidden characters] B --> D[Troubleshoot formatting issues] A --> E[Other options (e.g., -n, -T)] E --> F[Provide more detailed information about file contents]

In summary, the -E option in the cat command is a useful tool for displaying the end-of-line character, which can help you identify and troubleshoot formatting issues in files, especially when working with files that contain hidden characters.