---
name: "echo"
section: "1"
platform: "freebsd"
package: "base"
version: "16.0-CURRENT-20261027-61c70dc16a79"
release: "FreeBSD 16.0-CURRENT (2026-10-27)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "openbsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/echo"
---

# echo(1)

write arguments to the standard output

## NAME

**echo** – write arguments to the standard output

## SYNOPSIS

**echo** \[**-n**\] \[*string* *...*\]

## DESCRIPTION

The **echo** utility writes any specified operands, separated by single blank (‘ ’) characters and followed by a newline (‘\\n’) character, to the standard output.

The following option is available:

- **-n**

  Do not print the trailing newline character.

The end-of-options marker **-****-** is not recognized and written literally.

The newline may also be suppressed by appending ‘\\c’ to the end of the string, as is done by iBCS2 compatible systems. Note that the **-n** option as well as the effect of ‘\\c’ are implementation-defined in IEEE Std 1003.1-2001 (“POSIX.1”) as amended by Cor. 1-2002. For portability, **echo** should only be used if the first argument does not start with a hyphen (‘-’) and does not contain any backslashes (‘\\’). If this is not sufficient, [printf(1)](/printf/1.md) should be used.

Most shells provide a builtin **echo** command which tends to differ from this utility in the treatment of options and backslashes. Consult the [builtin(1)](/builtin/1.md) manual page.

## EXIT STATUS

The **echo** utility exits 0 on success, and \>0 if an error occurs.

## EXAMPLES

Special treatment of options and backslashes:

```
$ /bin/echo "-hello\tworld"
-hello world
```

Avoid new line character:

```
$ /bin/echo -n hello;/bin/echo world
helloworld
```

Or to achieve the same result:

```
$ /bin/echo "hello\c";/bin/echo world
helloworld
```

## SEE ALSO

[builtin(1)](/builtin/1.md), [csh(1)](/csh/1.md), [printf(1)](/printf/1.md), [sh(1)](/sh/1.md)

## STANDARDS

The **echo** utility conforms to IEEE Std 1003.1-2001 (“POSIX.1”) as amended by Cor. 1-2002.

## HISTORY

The **echo** command appeared in Version 2 AT&T UNIX.

## CAVEATS

The **echo** command behaves differently with regards to the built-in **echo** shell command in a number of ways including escaped characters handling. It also differs in behavior between different systems hence complicating writing portable scripts. It is advised to use the [printf(1)](/printf/1.md) command to avoid these shortcomings.