basename

Overview

The basename command strips directory and suffix from filenames, returning just the filename portion of a path. It’s essential for path manipulation in scripts.

Syntax

basename name [suffix]
basename option... name...

Common Options

Option Description
-a Support multiple arguments
-s suffix Remove trailing suffix
-z End output with NUL character

Key Use Cases

  1. Extract filename from path
  2. Remove file extensions
  3. Script path manipulation
  4. Batch file processing
  5. Log file naming

Examples with Explanations

Example 1: Basic Usage

basename /path/to/file.txt

Returns: file.txt

Example 2: Remove Extension

basename /path/to/file.txt .txt

Returns: file

Example 3: Multiple Files

basename -a /path/file1.txt /other/file2.log

Returns: file1.txt and file2.log

Common Usage Patterns

  1. Script naming:

    SCRIPT_NAME=$(basename "$0")

  2. Remove extensions:

    basename "$file" .conf

  3. Process multiple files:

    for file in *.txt; do
    name=$(basename "$file" .txt)
    echo "Processing: $name"
done

Best Practices

  1. Quote variables to handle spaces
  2. Use with dirname for complete path manipulation
  3. Consider using parameter expansion as alternative
  4. Test with edge cases (empty paths, root directory)

Integration Examples

  1. Backup script:

    backup_name="backup-$(basename "$PWD")-$(date +%Y%m%d)"

  2. Log rotation:

    logname=$(basename "$logfile" .log)
mv "$logfile" "${logname}-$(date +%Y%m%d).log"