find command basics in Linux CLI - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

💻 Command Output

intermediate

Find files by name

What is the output of this command if the current directory contains files: report.txt, data.csv, and notes.txt?

Linux CLI

find . -name '*.txt'

A Syntax error

B ./data.csv

C

report.txt
notes.txt

D

./report.txt
./notes.txt

💡 Hint

The -name option filters files by pattern, including the path.

The find command searches recursively from the current directory (.) and lists files matching '*.txt'. It shows relative paths starting with './'.

💻 Command Output

intermediate

Find files by size

What files will this command list if the directory has files: a.log (500 bytes), b.log (1500 bytes), and c.log (2500 bytes)?

Linux CLI

find . -size +1000c

A No output

B

./a.log
./b.log
./c.log

C

./b.log
./c.log

D ./a.log

💡 Hint

The -size +1000c finds files larger than 1000 bytes.

Files larger than 1000 bytes are b.log and c.log. The command lists them with relative paths.

📝 Syntax

advanced

Correct find syntax for multiple conditions

Which option correctly finds files with extension .txt or .md in the current directory?

A find . -name '*.txt' -o -name '*.md'

B find . -name '*.txt' -and -name '*.md'

C find . -name '*.txt' -or -name '*.md'

D find . -name '*.txt' || -name '*.md'

💡 Hint

Use the correct logical OR operator for find.

The -o option means OR in find. -or is not valid syntax. -and means AND, and || is shell syntax, not find syntax.

🔧 Debug

advanced

Why does this find command fail?

This command is intended to find all files modified in the last 7 days but returns no results. Why? find . -mtime 7

A It should use -mmin instead of -mtime

B It finds files modified exactly 7 days ago, not within 7 days

C The command syntax is invalid

D It only finds directories, not files

💡 Hint

Check what the number after -mtime means.

The -mtime 7 finds files modified exactly 7*24 hours ago, not within the last 7 days. To find files modified within 7 days, use -mtime -7.

🚀 Application

expert

Find and delete empty files safely

Which command safely finds and deletes all empty files in the current directory and its subdirectories?

A find . -type f -empty -delete

B find . -empty -exec rm {} \;

C find . -type f -size 0 -exec rm -f {} \;

D find . -type f -size 0 -delete

💡 Hint

Use the safest and simplest way to delete empty files with find.

Option A uses -empty to find empty files and -delete to remove them safely. Option A tries to delete empty directories too. Option A deletes files by size but is less clear. Option A deletes files by size but -delete is safer combined with -empty.