35 Essential Linux Find Command Examples for Mastering File Searches
This article presents 35 practical Linux find command examples, organized into five sections covering name‑based searches, permission filters, owner/group criteria, date‑time ranges, and size constraints, each illustrated with clear screenshots and step‑by‑step explanations.
Linux Find Command: 35 Practical Examples
The find command is one of the most important and frequently used tools in Linux for locating files and directories based on a wide range of criteria such as name, permissions, owner, group, date, size, and more. This article shares 35 common find command usages, grouped into five sections from basic to advanced scenarios.
Part 1 – Name‑Based File Searches
1. Find files named test.c in the current directory.
2. Find all files named test under the home directory.
3. Find files named test ignoring case.
4. Find directories named test.
5. Find PHP files named test.PHP in the current directory.
6. Find all PHP files in a directory.
Part 2 – Permission‑Based Searches
7. Find files with permission 777.
8. Find files that do NOT have permission 777.
9. Find SGID files with permission 644.
10. Find Sticky Bit files with permission 551.
11. Find all SUID files.
12. Find all SGID files.
13. Find read‑only files.
14. Find executable files.
15. Find files with permission 777 and change them to 644 using chmod.
16. Find directories with permission 777 and change them to 755.
17. Find and delete a single file (e.g., test.c).
18. Find and delete multiple files (e.g., .mp3 or .txt).
19. Find all empty files.
20. Find all empty directories.
21. Find all hidden files.
Part 3 – Owner and Group Based Searches
22. Find a file named test.c owned by root in /root.
23. Find all files belonging to user neil in the home directory.
24. Find all files belonging to group Developer under /home.
25. Find all .txt files of user neil in the home directory.
Part 4 – Date and Time Based Searches
26. Find files modified in the last 50 days.
27. Find files accessed in the last 50 days.
28. Find files modified between 50 and 100 days ago.
29. Find files changed in the past hour.
30. Find files modified in the past hour.
31. Find files accessed in the past hour.
Part 5 – Size Based Searches
32. Find files exactly 50 MB in size.
33. Find files between 50 MB and 100 MB.
34. Find and delete all 100 MB files.
35. Find and delete all .mp3 files larger than 10 MB.
These 35 commands cover most common uses of the find utility; additional tricks may exist, and readers are encouraged to share their own tips in the comments.
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