basename(1) User Commands basename(1)
NAME
basename - strip directory and suffix from filenames
SYNOPSIS
basename NAME [SUFFIX]
basename OPTION... NAME...
DESCRIPTION
Print NAME with any leading directory components removed. If
specified, also remove a trailing SUFFIX.
Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options
too.
-a, --multiple
support multiple arguments and treat each as a NAME
-s, --suffix=SUFFIX
remove a trailing SUFFIX; implies -a
-z, --zero
end each output line with NUL, not newline
--help display this help and exit
--version
output version information and exit
EXAMPLES
basename /usr/bin/sort -> "sort"
basename include/stdio.h .h -> "stdio"
basename -s .h include/stdio.h -> "stdio"
basename -a any/str1 any/str2 -> "str1" followed by "str2"
AUTHOR
Written by David MacKenzie.
REPORTING BUGS
Report bugs to: <bug-coreutils@gnu.org>.
Report any translation bugs to: <https://translationproject.org/team/>.
GNU coreutils home page: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>
General help using GNU software: <https://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>
COPYRIGHT
Copyright © 2026 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU
GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
SEE ALSO
dirname(1), readlink(1)
Full documentation <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/basename>
or available locally via: info '(coreutils) basename invocation'
GNU coreutils 9.12 September 2026 basename(1)
coreutils 9.12 - Generated Sun Sep 20 15:55:20 CDT 2026