Linux: File search - how to find the data you are looking for

If you are looking for a specific file or folder in Linux, you can either use the file explorer to search for it or use the terminal. There, with the help of a search command, you can quickly and conveniently track down files.

How to search for files in Linux

If you are looking for a single file, you can simplify the search enormously by using the terminal.

1. Call the Linux terminal. This works either via the key combination [CTRL] + [ALT] + [T] or by entering "Terminal" in the search.
2. Enter the command "find -iname <filename>" and confirm by pressing [Enter].
3. You will then get the path to the file you are looking for.
4. Even faster is the search with the command "locate", which you must first install on some Linux computers with "sudo apt-get install mlocate".
5. Then enter the command "locate -i <filename> and confirm with [Enter].

When entering the file name, be sure to enter the file extension. If you forget the extension, the search via the terminal gives no results. Furthermore, it is important to make sure that the file name does not contain any spaces, because even then you will not get any hits.Folder search in LinuxIf you want to locate a specific folder on your hard drive, then you can also use a terminal command for this.

• Call the terminal and enter the command "find - name folder name" and confirm the input with [Enter].
• You will then get the file path to get to the folder you are looking for.