---
name: "fadvise"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "util-linux"
version: "2.42.4-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/fadvise"
---

# fadvise(1)

utility to use the \*posix\_fadvise\*(2) system call

## NAME

fadvise - utility to use the \*posix\_fadvise\*(2) system call

## SYNOPSIS

**fadvise** \[**-a** *advice*\] \[**-o** *offset*\] \[**-l** *length*\] *filename*

**fadvise** \[**-a** *advice*\] \[**-o** *offset*\] \[**-l** *length*\] -d *file-descriptor*

## DESCRIPTION

**fadvise** is a simple command wrapping [**posix\_fadvise**(2)](/posix_fadvise/2.md) system call that is for predeclaring an access pattern for file data.

## OPTIONS

- **-d**, **--fd** *file-descriptor*

  Apply the advice to the file specified with the file descriptor instead of open a file specified with a file name.

- **-a**, **--advice** *advice*

  See the command output with **--help** option for available values for advice. If this option is omitted, "dontneed" is used as default advice.

- **-o**, **--offset** *offset*

  Specifies the beginning offset of the range, in bytes. If this option is omitted, 0 is used as default advice.

- **-l**, **--length** *length*

  Specifies the length of the range, in bytes. If this option is omitted, 0 is used as default advice.

- **-h**, **--help**

  Display help text and exit.

- **-V**, **--version**

  Display version and exit.

## EXIT STATUS

**fadvise** has the following exit status values:

**0**

success

**1**

unspecified failure

## AUTHORS

*Masatake YAMATO* \<yamato@redhat.com\>

## SEE ALSO

[**posix\_fadvise**(2)](/posix_fadvise/2.md)

## REPORTING BUGS

For bug reports, use the *issue tracker* \<https://github.com/util-linux/util-linux/issues\>.

## AVAILABILITY

The **fadvise** command is part of the util-linux package which can be downloaded from *Linux Kernel Archive* \<https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util-linux/\>.