How to Find Files in Linux

Finding files in Linux is a rite of passage — but it doesn’t have to be a pain. Whether you’re deep in a messy project folder or just forgot where you saved that config, this guide covers all the ways to find things fast.

We’ll start simple, then branch out to powerful tools for developers, sysadmins, and everyday terminal users.

1. The Classic: find

The find command is the Swiss army knife of file searching. It’s built-in, recursive by default, and works everywhere.

Find a file by name (current directory):

find . -name "file.txt"

• . means: start in the current directory
• -name is case-sensitive
• Use -iname for case-insensitive

Search from home:

find ~ -name "*.jpg"

Search everything (root):

sudo find / -name "config.yaml"

Tip: Use quotes when searching patterns ("*.sh"), or the shell may expand them before find gets a chance.

2. The Fast One: locate + updatedb

locate searches a pre-built index of all files — insanely fast, but not always current.

locate notes.md

If it’s missing something you just created, run:

sudo updatedb

Then search again. Great for frequently-used files.

3. The Cleanest Combo: ls | grep

Your favorite — and for good reason.

From current directory:

ls | grep html

From home:

ls ~ | grep pdf

Recursively in subfolders:

find . -type f | grep .html

Or for a cleaner recursive match:

find . -name "*.html"

4. By Size, Date, or Extension

Files over 50MB:

find . -size +50M

Modified in the last 2 days:

find . -mtime -2

All .log files anywhere:

find / -name "*.log" 2>/dev/null

(The 2>/dev/null silences permission errors.)

5. Fancy & Fast: fd (a modern find)

If you’ve installed fd:

fd config ~/.config

This tool supports smart case matching, parallel search, and cleaner output by default.

Summary Cheat Sheet

Use the command line like you own it. This guide stays useful even when your file names don’t.

Last updated: 2025-04-09 04:58 UTC