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cut, sort, uniq: Simple Text Tools

cut extracts fields. sort sorts. uniq finds unique. Simple tools.

Here's the thing: These tools are simple. But useful. Learn them.

cut​

cut -d: -f1 /etc/passwd

My take: cut extracts fields. Use it.

sort​

sort file.txt
sort -r file.txt  # Reverse

My take: sort sorts lines. Use it.

uniq​

sort file.txt | uniq

My take: uniq finds unique. Sort first.

Common Patterns​

Combine​

cut -d: -f1 /etc/passwd | sort | uniq

What's Next?​

Now that you understand these tools, let's talk about Text Processing Examples.

Personal note: These tools seemed simple. Then I used them. Now I use them constantly. They're useful. Learn them.