Wildcards are a set of building blocks that allow you to create a pattern defining a set of files or directories.
Here is the basic set of wildcards:
suppose you want to search all files with extension png.
it means i do not care about file name. i care about extension only whose length consists of 3 characters.
Here is the basic set of wildcards:
- * - represents zero or more characters
- ? - represents a single character
- [] - represents a range of characters
Wildcards may be used with any command.
- * -
It represents zero or more characters. If you want to list all the files and directories then this wildcard is very benefitial.In simple words, whenever you use * means it will include all the character.
E.g. if you want to list all the directory which starts with D. Then you just have to write.
ls *
ls D*
it will list all the directories and files of those directories which starts with D.
example of *
suppose you want to search all files with extension png.
ls path *.png
Here path is from where you want to list all png.
search file type
- ? -
it represents one character. This wildcard is used as a filter like if you want to search a directory whose second letter is o or whose extension is of 3 words.. etc. It is mainly used with * wildcard.
Example screenshot
it means list all the file whose first letter is unknown but second character is o and i do not care about remaining characters in the file name.
Example screenshot
it means i do not care about file name. i care about extension only whose length consists of 3 characters.
- [] -
suppose you want to see all files or folders whose name starts with M, V and f.
Example Screenshot
or you want to list all files which is in range between A-F.
Example Screenshot
i guess you got the basic understanding about wildcard.
