---
name: "echo"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "coreutils"
version: "9.12-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "openbsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/echo"
---

# echo(1)

display a line of text

## NAME

echo - display a line of text

## SYNOPSIS

**echo** \[*SHORT-OPTION*\]... \[*STRING*\]...\
 **echo** *LONG-OPTION*

## DESCRIPTION

Echo the STRING(s) to standard output.

- **-n**

  do not output the trailing newline

- **-e**

  enable interpretation of backslash escapes

- **-E**

  disable interpretation of backslash escapes (default)

- **--help**

  display this help and exit

- **--version**

  output version information and exit

If **-e** is in effect, the following sequences are recognized:

- \\\\

  backslash

- \\a

  alert (bell)

- \\b

  backspace

- \\c

  produce no further output

- \\e

  escape

- \\f

  form feed

- \\n

  new line

- \\r

  carriage return

- \\t

  horizontal tab

- \\v

  vertical tab

- \\0NNN

  byte with octal value NNN (1 to 3 digits)

- \\xHH

  byte with hexadecimal value HH (1 to 2 digits)

Your shell may have its own version of echo, which usually supersedes the version described here.  Please refer to your shell's documentation for details about the options it supports.

Consider using the [**printf**(1)](/printf/1.md) command instead, as it avoids problems when outputting option-like strings.

## AUTHOR

Written by Brian Fox and Chet Ramey.

## REPORTING BUGS

Report bugs to: \<bug-coreutils@gnu.org\>.\
 Report any translation bugs to: \<https://translationproject.org/team/\>.\
 GNU coreutils home page: \<https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/\>\
 General help using GNU software: \<https://www.gnu.org/gethelp/\>

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2026 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later \<https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html\>.\
 This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

## SEE ALSO

[**printf**(1)](/printf/1.md)

Full documentation \<https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/echo\>\
 or available locally via: info '(coreutils) echo invocation'