Windows
Linux
Text Processing
Files
Windows nl file equivalent in Linux
Adds line numbers to file output.
Windows
→
nl file
Linux equivalents
nl -ba file
nl -ba file
nl -ba file
Overview
What this command does
Adds line numbers to file output.
Migration tip: Check the distro-specific rows before copying; package names and service names can differ even when the tool name is similar.
Practical tasks
Common use cases
Number lines
Adds line numbers to file output.
nl -ba file
Number lines
nl --help
Show command help when supported
man nl
Open the manual page when installed
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
nl -ba file
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
# Windows equivalent: nl file
nl -ba fileReference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
nl -ba file | Number lines |
nl --help | Show command help when supported |
man nl | Open the manual page when installed |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
The equivalent is shown for Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch. Some rows use a different package manager or helper tool where Linux distributions commonly diverge.
| Distribution | Package manager / base | Equivalent command | Difference to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian/Ubuntu | same command | nl -ba file |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Fedora | same command | nl -ba file |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Arch | same command | nl -ba file |
Same command on this distribution. |
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