Windows chcp equivalent in Linux
Displays the active character encoding.
chcp
locale charmap
locale charmap
locale charmap
Overview
What this command does
On Windows, "chcp" is used to show terminal encoding. On Linux, the closest practical mapping shown here is "locale charmap". Displays the active character encoding. This reference is grouped under Terminal & Shell Scripting → Terminal.
Windows → Linux context
What changes when you use this on Linux?
Equivalent task, different tool
Windows chcp maps to locale charmap for this task. Treat this as a workflow mapping rather than a character-for-character syntax translation.
Portable across the compared distros
The Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch rows use the same command in this mapping. Package availability or defaults can still vary, so check the installed tool version when an option behaves differently.
For the broader concept behind this mapping, read Linux command-line basics.
Practical tasks
Common use cases
Show terminal encoding
Displays the active character encoding.
locale charmap
Show terminal encoding
locale --help
Show command help when supported
man locale
Open the manual page when installed
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
locale charmap
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
# Windows equivalent: chcp
locale charmapReference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
locale charmap | Show terminal encoding |
locale --help | Show command help when supported |
man locale | Open the manual page when installed |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch all use "locale charmap" for this mapping. The command syntax shown here is portable across the three rows, although installed versions and system defaults can still vary.
| Distribution | Package manager / base | Equivalent command | Difference to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian/Ubuntu | same command | locale charmap |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Fedora | same command | locale charmap |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Arch | same command | locale charmap |
Same command on this distribution. |
Keep learning