head -- Command

Print the beginning of a file
head [+n[bcl]] [file]
head [-n[bcl]] [file]

head copies  the first part  of file, or  of the standard input  if none is
named, to the standard output.

The given  number tells head where  to begin to copy  the data.  Numbers of
the form +number measure the starting point from the beginning of the file;
those of the form -number measure from the end of the file.

A specifier of blocks, characters, or  lines (b, c, or l, respectively) may
follow the  number; the  default is  lines.  If no  number is  specified, a
default of +4 is assumed.

See Also

commands,
dd,
egrep,
sed,
tail

Notes

Because head buffers  data measured from the end of  the file, large counts
may not work.

© 2012 by Stephen A. Ness