basename - Strip Directory and Suffix from Filenames

Synopsis

basename NAME [SUFFIX]
basename OPTION... NAME...

Print NAME with any leading directory components removed. If specified, also remove a trailing SUFFIX.

Flags

Examples

# Extract filename from path
basename /path/to/file.txt
# Output: file.txt

# Remove extension
basename /path/to/file.txt .txt
# Output: file

# Remove extension with -s flag
basename -s .txt /path/to/file.txt
# Output: file

# Multiple files
basename -a /path/file1.txt /path/file2.txt
# Output: file1.txt\nfile2.txt

# Multiple files with suffix removal
basename -as .txt /path/file1.txt /path/file2.txt
# Output: file1\nfile2

# In shell scripting
filename=$(basename "$filepath")
name_no_ext=$(basename "$filepath" .txt)

# Common pattern: get script name
echo "Usage: $(basename "$0") [options]"

Gotchas

• basename only does string manipulation on the path. It does not check if the file actually exists.
• Without -a, basename takes exactly one NAME argument (plus optional SUFFIX). Extra arguments are treated as the suffix.
• The SUFFIX is removed literally. basename file.tar.gz .gz gives file.tar, not file.
• For parameter expansion in bash, ${var##*/} is equivalent to basename "$var" and avoids spawning a subprocess.
• basename strips only one level. /path/to/ gives to (trailing slash is ignored).