find with -exec for actions in Linux CLI - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What does the -exec option do in the find command?

It allows you to run a command on each file that find locates. This means you can perform actions like deleting, moving, or printing files directly from find.

beginner

How do you correctly end a command used with -exec in find?

You end the command with \;. This tells find where the command finishes.

beginner

What does {} represent in the find -exec command?

It is a placeholder for the current file found by find. The command replaces {} with the file name.

intermediate

Why might you use find . -name '*.txt' -exec rm {} \;?

This command finds all files ending with .txt in the current directory and deletes each one by running rm on them.

intermediate

What is the difference between -exec command {} \; and -exec command {} + in find?

Using \; runs the command once per file. Using + runs the command once with all files as arguments, which can be faster.

What symbol ends the command in find -exec?

A ;

B \;

C {}

D +

The command must end with a backslash and semicolon (\;) to tell find where the command ends.

In find . -exec ls -l {} \;, what does {} do?

A Is replaced by the found file name

B Runs the command in background

C Ends the command

D Represents the current directory

{} is replaced by each file found by find.

Which command deletes all .log files in the current directory and subdirectories?

A rm *.log

B find . -name '*.log' -print

C find . -name '*.log' -exec rm {} \;

D ls *.log -exec rm {} \;

Option C uses find with -exec rm to delete each .log file found.

What is the benefit of using -exec command {} + over -exec command {} \;?

A Runs command once per file

B Deletes files faster

C Prints file names only

D Runs command once with all files as arguments

Using + runs the command once with all files, which is more efficient.

Which of these is a correct way to move all .txt files to a folder named backup?

A find . -name '*.txt' -exec mv {} backup \;

B find . -name '*.txt' -exec mv backup {} \;

C mv *.txt backup

D find . -exec mv {} backup \;

Option A correctly uses find with -exec mv to move each .txt file to backup.

Explain how the -exec option works in the find command and how to use it safely.

Think about how you tell find what to do with each file it finds.

Describe the difference between ending -exec with \; and + and when to use each.

Consider performance and command compatibility.