---
name: "echo"
section: "1"
platform: "macos"
package: "shell_cmds"
version: "329"
release: "macOS 26.5"
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. This may also be achieved by appending ‘\\c’ to the end of the string, as is done by iBCS2 compatible systems. Note that this 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. Applications aiming for maximum portability are strongly encouraged to use [printf(1)](/printf/1.md) to suppress the newline character.

Some shells may provide a builtin **echo** command which is similar or identical to this utility. Most notably, the builtin **echo** in [sh(1)](/sh/1.md) does not accept the **-n** option. Consult the [builtin(1)](/builtin/1.md) manual page.

## EXIT STATUS

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

## 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.