---
name: "bup-cat-file"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "bup"
version: "0.34-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/bup-cat-file"
---

# bup-cat-file(1)

extract archive content (low-level)

## NAME

bup-cat-file - extract archive content (low-level)

## SYNOPSIS

bup cat-file \[--meta\|--bupm\] \<*path*\>

## DESCRIPTION

`bup cat-file` extracts content associated with *path* from the archive and dumps it to standard output. If nothing special is requested, the actual data contained by *path* (which must be a regular file) will be dumped.

## OPTIONS

- \--meta

  retrieve the metadata entry associated with *path*. Note that currently this does not return the raw bytes for the entry recorded in the relevant .bupm in the archive, but rather a decoded and then re-encoded version. When that matters, it should be possible (though awkward) to use `--bupm` on the parent directory and then find the relevant entry in the output.

- \--bupm

  retrieve the .bupm file associated with *path*, which must be a directory.

## EXAMPLES

-

  ```
  # Retrieve the content of somefile.
  $ bup cat-file /foo/latest/somefile > somefile-content
  # Examine the metadata associated with something.
  $ bup cat-file --meta /foo/latest/something | bup meta -tvvf -
  # Examine the metadata for somedir, including the items it contains.
  $ bup cat-file --bupm /foo/latest/somedir | bup meta -tvvf -
  ```

## SEE ALSO

[`bup-join`(1)](/bup-join/1.md), [`bup-meta`(1)](/bup-meta/1.md)

## BUP

Part of the [`bup`(1)](/bup/1.md) suite.

## AUTHORS

Rob Browning ⟨rlb@defaultvalue.org⟩\\c.