cat

Display the contents of a file (concatenate)

SYNTAX
      cat [OPTION] [FILE]...

Concatenate FILE(s), or standard input, to standard output.

  -A, --show-all           equivalent to -vET

  -b, --number-nonblank    number nonblank output lines

  -e                       equivalent to -vE

  -E, --show-ends          display $ at end of each line

  -n, --number             number all output lines

  -s, --squeeze-blank      never more than one single blank line

  -t                       equivalent to -vT

  -T, --show-tabs          display TAB characters as ^I

  -u                       (ignored)

  -v, --show-nonprinting   use ^ and M- notation, except for LFD and TAB

      --help               display this help and exit

      --version            output version information and exit

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

Examples:

Display a file
$ cat myfile

Concatenate two files:
$ cat file1.dat file2.dat >> file3.dat

"To be nobody but yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you like everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting" - E. E. Cummings

Related commands:

cp - Copy one or more files to another location
mv - Move or rename files or directories
tac - Concatenate and write files in reverse

Equivalent Windows NT commands:

COPY - Copy one or more files to another location
TYPE - Display the contents of a text file