Why does find -name *.log not work?
The shell expands *.log before find ever runs, so find receives a filename instead of a pattern. Quote it — find -name "*.log" — so find does the matching.
Find Command Builder
Quick Answer
The find command searches a directory tree for files matching tests you combine: -name for a quoted glob, -type f or -type d, -mtime for age in days, -size for size, and -path to include or exclude subtrees. The order of the expression is the program — find evaluates left to right, so an action like -delete or -exec must come after the tests that narrow the matches, or it runs on everything find walks. Two traps cause most accidents: an unquoted -name *.log is expanded by the shell before find sees it, so always quote the pattern; and the age sign is easy to reverse — -mtime +30 means older than 30 days while -mtime -1 means within the last day. This builder assembles the command with tests before actions, quotes patterns for you, explains every flag in plain English, and flags -delete and -exec as the destructive actions to preview with -print first.
How to use the Find Command Builder
- 1Set the starting path, then add tests (-name, -type, -mtime, -size) to narrow what matches before adding any action.
- 2Leave name patterns to the builder — it quotes -name values so the shell does not expand the glob before find runs.
- 3Pick an action last: -print to list, -print0 to pipe into xargs -0, -delete to remove, or -exec to run a command.
- 4Preview destructive jobs: generate the -print version, read the file list, then switch the action to -delete.
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The Production Bash Toolkit
6 scripts + shared library + 52-page field guide. The production layer the free snippets don't cover.
Get the Toolkit →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between -mtime +30 and -mtime -1?
+30 matches files modified more than 30 days ago; -1 matches files modified within the last day; a bare 30 means exactly day 30. Reversing the sign on a -delete job deletes the wrong files.
How do I delete files found by find without a mistake?
Run the command with -print first and read the list. -delete is an action and must come after the tests; placed before them it deletes everything find walks.
What is the difference between -exec command \; and -exec command +?
\; runs the command once per file; + batches many files into one invocation, which is faster and the right default when the command accepts multiple arguments.
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