[ expression ]

DESCRIPTION

     The test utility evaluates the expression and, if it evaluates to true,
     returns a zero (true) exit status; otherwise it returns 1 (false).  If
     there is no expression, test also returns 1 (false).

     All operators and flags are separate arguments to the test utility.

     The following primaries are used to construct expression:

     -b file       True if file exists and is a block special file.

     -c file       True if file exists and is a character special file.

     -d file       True if file exists and is a directory.

     -e file       True if file exists (regardless of type).

     -f file       True if file exists and is a regular file.

     -g file       True if file exists and its set group ID flag is set.

     -h file       True if file exists and is a symbolic link.  This operator
                   is retained for compatibility with previous versions of
                   this program.  Do not rely on its existence; use -L
                   instead.

     -k file       True if file exists and its sticky bit is set.

     -n string     True if the length of string is nonzero.

     -p file       True if file is a named pipe (FIFO).

     -r file       True if file exists and is readable.

     -s file       True if file exists and has a size greater than zero.

     -t file_descriptor
                   True if the file whose file descriptor number is
                   file_descriptor is open and is associated with a terminal.

     -u file       True if file exists and its set user ID flag is set.

     -w file       True if file exists and is writable.  True indicates only
                   that the write flag is on.  The file is not writable on a
                   read-only file system even if this test indicates true.

     -x file       True if file exists and is executable.  True indicates only
                   that the execute flag is on.  If file is a directory, true
                   indicates that file can be searched.


     file1 -ot file2
                   True if file1 exists and is older than file2.

     file1 -ef file2
                   True if file1 and file2 exist and refer to the same file.

     string        True if string is not the null string.

     s1 = s2       True if the strings s1 and s2 are identical.

     s1 != s2      True if the strings s1 and s2 are not identical.

     s1 < s2       True if string s1 comes before s2 based on the binary value
                   of their characters.

     s1 > s2       True if string s1 comes after s2 based on the binary value
                   of their characters.

     n1 -eq n2     True if the integers n1 and n2 are algebraically equal.

     n1 -ne n2     True if the integers n1 and n2 are not algebraically equal.

     n1 -gt n2     True if the integer n1 is algebraically greater than the
                   integer n2.

     n1 -ge n2     True if the integer n1 is algebraically greater than or
                   equal to the integer n2.

     n1 -lt n2     True if the integer n1 is algebraically less than the inte-
                   ger n2.

     n1 -le n2     True if the integer n1 is algebraically less than or equal
                   to the integer n2.

     If file is a symbolic link, test will fully dereference it and then eval-
     uate the expression against the file referenced, except for the -h and -L
     primaries.

     These primaries can be combined with the following operators:

     ! expression  True if expression is false.

     expression1 -a expression2
                   True if both expression1 and expression2 are true.

     expression1 -o expression2
                   True if either expression1 or expression2 are true.

     (expression)  True if expression is true.

     The -a operator has higher precedence than the -o operator.
     0       expression evaluated to true.

     1       expression evaluated to false or expression was missing.

     >1      An error occurred.

SEE ALSO

     builtin(1), expr(1), sh(1), symlink(7)

STANDARDS

     The test utility implements a superset of the IEEE Std 1003.2
     (``POSIX.2'') specification.

BUGS

     Both sides are always evaluated in -a and -o, unlike in the logical oper-
     ators of sh(1).  For instance, the writable status of file will be tested
     by the following command even though the former expression indicated
     false, which results in a gratuitous access to the file system:

           [ -z abc -a -w file ]

BSD                              July 31, 2006                             BSD