dirname
directory path extraction utility
TLDR
Get directory path
$ dirname [/path/to/file.txt]
Multiple paths at once$ dirname [/path/one/file1] [/path/two/file2]
NUL-separated output (for scripting)$ dirname -z [/path/to/file]
SYNOPSIS
dirname path...
DESCRIPTION
dirname extracts the directory portion of a pathname, removing the last component. It's commonly used in shell scripts to find the directory containing a file or script.The command is the complement to basename.
PARAMETERS
-z, --zero
Separate output with NUL instead of newline
BEHAVIOR
Given `/path/to/file.txt`:- dirname returns `/path/to`Given `/path/to/`:- dirname returns `/path`Given `file.txt`:- dirname returns `.`Given `/`:- dirname returns `/`
WORKFLOW
$ # Get directory
dirname /usr/local/bin/command
# Output: /usr/local/bin
# Get parent of current script
SCRIPT_DIR=$(dirname "$0")
# Get absolute path to script directory
SCRIPT_DIR=$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)
# Multiple files
dirname /path/to/file1 /path/to/file2
# In scripts
cd "$(dirname "$0")" # Change to script's directory
dirname /usr/local/bin/command
# Output: /usr/local/bin
# Get parent of current script
SCRIPT_DIR=$(dirname "$0")
# Get absolute path to script directory
SCRIPT_DIR=$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)
# Multiple files
dirname /path/to/file1 /path/to/file2
# In scripts
cd "$(dirname "$0")" # Change to script's directory
COMMON USES
Script directory:
$ #!/bin/bash
SCRIPT_DIR=$(dirname "$0")
source "$SCRIPT_DIR/config.sh"
Parent directory:SCRIPT_DIR=$(dirname "$0")
source "$SCRIPT_DIR/config.sh"
$ parent=$(dirname "/path/to/file")
Multiple levels:$ # Go up two directories
grandparent=$(dirname "$(dirname "/path/to/file")")
grandparent=$(dirname "$(dirname "/path/to/file")")
INSTALL
sudo apt install coreutils
sudo dnf install coreutils
sudo pacman -S coreutils
sudo apk add coreutils
sudo zypper install coreutils
brew install coreutils
nix profile install nixpkgs#coreutils
CAVEATS
Doesn't resolve symbolic links (use readlink). Doesn't check if path exists. Trailing slashes affect output. Doesn't handle all edge cases (empty strings, etc.). Path doesn't need to exist.
HISTORY
dirname has been part of Unix since the early days, included in POSIX standards alongside basename.