| -c--bytes | print the byte counts |
| -m--chars | print the character counts |
| -l--lines | print the newline counts |
| --files0-from | read input from the files specified by NUL-terminated names in file F; If F is - then read names from standard input |
| -L--max-line-length | print the maximum display width |
| -w--words | print the word counts |
| --total | when to print a line with total counts; WHEN can be: auto, always, only, never |
| --help | display this help and exit |
| --version | output version information and exit |
NAME
wc - print newline, word, and byte counts for each file
SYNOPSIS
wc [OPTION]... [FILE]... wc [OPTION]... --files0-from=F
DESCRIPTION
Print newline, word, and byte counts for each FILE, and a total line if more than one FILE is specified. A word is a nonempty sequence of non white space delimited by white space characters or by start or end of input.
With no FILE, or when FILE is -, read standard input.
The options below may be used to select which counts are printed, always in the following order: newline, word, character, byte, maximum line length.
- -c, --bytes
print the byte counts
- -m, --chars
print the character counts
- -l, --lines
print the newline counts
- --files0-from=F
read input from the files specified by NUL-terminated names in file F; If F is - then read names from standard input
- -L, --max-line-length
print the maximum display width
- -w, --words
print the word counts
- --total=WHEN
when to print a line with total counts; WHEN can be: auto, always, only, never
- --help
display this help and exit
- --version
output version information and exit
AUTHOR
Written by Paul Rubin and David MacKenzie.
REPORTING BUGS
GNU coreutils online help: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/> Report any translation bugs to <https://translationproject.org/team/>
SEE ALSO
Full documentation <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/wc> or available locally via: info '(coreutils) wc invocation'
Packaged by Debian (9.7-3) Copyright © 2025 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.