awk Command Examples in Linux¶

Introduction¶

These examples show practical ways to use awk on a Linux terminal. Each example is written so you can adapt it for administration or troubleshooting.

Example 1: Basic Usage¶

awk '{ print $1 }' /etc/passwd

This is the simplest form of the command and is a good starting point before adding options.

Example 2: Common Admin Task¶

awk -F: '{ print $1, $7 }' /etc/passwd

This example reflects a common task on RHEL, Rocky Linux, AlmaLinux, or similar systems.

Example 3: Useful Option¶

awk '$5 > 1000 { print $1, $5 }' data.txt

This option helps narrow the result, change behavior, or handle a more realistic target.

Example 4: Real-World Scenario¶

df -h | awk 'NR>1 { print $1, $5 }'

Use this pattern when the task moves beyond a single basic command.

Example 5: Verification¶

awk --version

Example output:

root
bin
daemon

Common Mistakes¶

• Forgetting that awk splits on whitespace by default unless -F is set.
• Using double quotes around the awk program and letting the shell expand $1.
• Trying to parse complex formats when a dedicated parser would be safer.

Quick Reference¶

awk '{ print $1 }' /etc/passwd
awk -F: '{ print $1, $7 }' /etc/passwd
awk '$5 > 1000 { print $1, $5 }' data.txt
df -h | awk 'NR>1 { print $1, $5 }'
awk --version

Related Guides¶

• What is awk?
• awk print columns explained
• awk Field Separator Examples
• awk interview questions

Summary¶

Good awk usage means choosing the right option, keeping the target clear, and verifying the result with output you can explain.