---
layout: page
category-page: intermediate
category-title: Intermediate commands
tags: strings read binaries file
author: Marco Farace
title: strings
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---

The strings command returns each string of printable characters (ASCII)
in files. Its main uses are to determine the contents of and to extract text
from binary files (i.e., non-text files). From the Shell manual: "find the
printable strings in a object, or other binary, file".<br>

Strings can be used to extract character information and string of a given lenght
from text file(s). When used without any options, strings displays all strings
that are at least four characters in length in the files whose names are
supplied as arguments (i.e., input data). Strings that are on separate lines
in the input files are shown on separate lines on the screen, and an attempt
is made to display all strings found on a single line in a file on a single
line on the screen (although there may be a carryover to subsequent lines in
the event that numerous strings are found on a single line). strings looks in
all sections of the object files except the (__TEXT,__text) section.<br>

<pre>
strings [options] file_name(s)
</pre>

<h3> Flags <h3>
<ul>
    <li>-n: Specify the minimum string length, where the number argument is
        a positive decimal integer. The default is 4.</li>
    <li>-: This  option  causes strings to look for strings in all bytes of
        the files (the default for non-object files).</li>
    <li>--: This option causes strings to treat all the following  arguments
        as files.</li>
    <li>-a: This option causes strings to look for strings in  all  sections
        of the object file (including the (__TEXT,__text) section.</li>
</ul>