linux paste command is used to merge lines of files. In this paste command we have two options along with paste command -d and -s

-d = delimiters

-s = serial

Syntax

paste [options] files

Now are going to see how to make use of -d and -s options to combine different file output.

In this article we are going to use below two files for demonstrate purpose.

[root@TechTutorial ~]# cat arkitfile1
Tech
Tututorial
Arkit
WebServer
paste
command
[root@TechTutorial ~]# cat file2arkit
Tutorial
Tech
Linux
server
command

Joining multiple files using paste command

To join the file content side by side just we have to below command

[root@TechTutorial ~]# paste arkitfile1 file2arkit
Tech    Tutorial
Tututorial      Tech
Arkit   Linux
WebServer       server
paste   command
command

Joining multiple files separated by specified delimiter

In this example we are going to use comma(,) as delimiter

[root@TechTutorial ~]# paste -d, arkitfile1 file2arkit
Tech,Tutorial
Tututorial,Tech
Arkit,Linux
WebServer,server
paste,command
command,

Merging multiple files sequentially

To merge multiple files in sequentially we have to use -s option along with command as shown in below example

[root@TechTutorial ~]# paste -s arkitfile1 file2arkit
Tech    Tututorial      Arkit   WebServer       paste   command
Tutorial        Tech    Linux   server  command

Separate file data as 2 columns

Straight line of data will be shown as two separate columns example shown below

[root@TechTutorial ~]# cat arkitfile1   <===== Before 
Tech
Tututorial
Arkit
WebServer


[root@TechTutorial ~]# paste - - < arkitfile1   <== After
Tech    Tututorial
Arkit   WebServer

Join multiple lines as single line separated by comma delimiter

From below content

[root@TechTutorial ~]# cat arkitfile1
Tech
Tututorial
Arkit
WebServer
paste
command

Changed to below

[root@TechTutorial ~]# paste -d, -s arkitfile1
Tech,Tututorial,Arkit,WebServer,paste,command

Merging both file content alternatively

We have two files which are having number of lines merging them alternatively we have to use below command

[root@TechTutorial ~]# paste -d'\n' -s arkitfile1 file2arkit
Tech
Tututorial
Arkit
WebServer
paste
command
Tutorial
Tech
Linux
server
command

Merging file content separated by semicolon

[root@TechTutorial ~]# paste -d':' - - < arkitfile1
Tech:Tututorial
Arkit:WebServer

Merging a file into 3 columns using multiple delimiters

[root@TechTutorial ~]# paste -d:, - - - < arkitfile1
Tech:Tututorial,Arkit
WebServer:paste,command

Conclusion

We can make use of this command to merge lines of multiple files and modify as required using paste options -d and -s.

Thanks for the read.

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