shuf(1)

NAME

shuf - generate random permutations

SYNOPSIS

shuf [OPTION]... [FILE]
shuf -e [OPTION]... [ARG]...
shuf -i LO-HI [OPTION]...

DESCRIPTION

Write a random permutation of the input lines to standard output.

With no FILE, or when FILE is -, read standard input.

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.

-e, --echo: treat each ARG as an input line

-i, --input-range=LO-HI: treat each number LO through HI as an input line

-n, --head-count=COUNT: output at most COUNT lines

-o, --output=FILE: write result to FILE instead of standard output

--random-source=FILE: get random bytes from FILE

-r, --repeat: output lines can be repeated

-z, --zero-terminated: line delimiter is NUL, not newline

--help: display this help and exit

--version: output version information and exit

AUTHOR

Written by Paul Eggert.

REPORTING BUGS

Report bugs to: <[email protected]>.
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.