Latest Modified File in Linux

Managing files and directories is a common task for Linux users. Sometimes, you may need to quickly identify the most recently modified file within a folder and its subfolders. In this blog post, we'll explore two methods to achieve this using command-line tools: `find` and `stat`, as well as `ls` with its sorting options.

Method 1: Using `find` and `stat`:

The `find` command is a powerful utility for searching files and directories based on various criteria. By combining it with the `stat` command, we can extract the modification timestamps of files and then sort them to find the most recently modified file.

1. Open your terminal.

2. Run the following command to find the latest modified file:

   find /path/to/folder -type f -exec stat --format="%Y %n" {} + | sort -n -r | head -n 1 | cut -d' ' -f2-

   Let's break down the command:

   - `find /path/to/folder -type f` searches for regular files within the specified folder and its sub folders.

   - `-exec stat --format="%Y %n" {} +` executes the `stat` command on each file, printing the modification timestamp and file name.

   - `sort -n -r` sorts the output numerically and in reverse order (latest timestamp first).

   - `head -n 1` selects only the first line (i.e., the latest modified file).

   - `cut -d' ' -f2-` extracts the file name from the output.

Method 2: Using `find` and `ls`:

The `ls` command displays information about files and directories. By using the `--time-style` option and sorting options, we can achieve a similar result as the previous method.

1. Open your terminal.

2. Run the following command to find the latest modified file:

   find /path/to/folder -type f -exec ls -lt --time-style=+"%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S" {} + | head -n 2

   Here's how the command works:

   - `find /path/to/folder -type f` searches for regular files within the specified folder and its sub folders.

   - `-exec ls -lt --time-style=+"%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S" {} +` executes the `ls` command in long format with the custom time style on each file.

   - `head -n 2` selects the first two lines of output, which include the latest modified file.

Conclusion:

In this blog post, we explored two methods to identify the latest modified file within a folder and its sub folders on a Linux system. Using the `find` command in combination with either `stat` or `ls`, you can quickly retrieve information about the most recently modified file. These techniques can be incredibly useful for managing files and keeping track of changes in your file system. Whether you choose the `stat` or `ls` approach, you now have the tools to efficiently locate the latest modified file in your Linux environment.