Arch Linux

myrlin

Member

Registered: 2010-06-11

Posts: 297

What is "usr/bin/["

I have just (successfully) installed Arch on my eeepc using kdemod3

I was browsing around, and discovered a file in my usr/bin directory called just "[".

Is this a legitimate file?

I'm a bit paranoid about security/rootkits/viruses etc, so I hope someone can put my mind at rest.

Thanks in advance

yejun

Member

Registered: 2009-10-21

Posts: 66

Re: What is "usr/bin/["

/usr/bin/[ is owned by coreutils 8.5-2

Ranguvar

Member

Registered: 2008-08-12

Posts: 2,549

Re: What is "usr/bin/["

[12:11:43] [~] : pacman -Qo /usr/bin/[
/usr/bin/[ is owned by coreutils 8.5-2

It is indeed legitimate

bananaoomarang

Member

Registered: 2009-10-29

Posts: 180

Re: What is "usr/bin/["

Sorry, it is definatly legit, just checked.

Last edited by bananaoomarang (2010-09-08 16:15:10)

brisbin33

Member

From: boston, ma

Registered: 2008-07-24

Posts: 1,796

Website

Re: What is "usr/bin/["

if [[ $x == 1 ]]; then

[[ is a bash built in which tests the condition before the ]] and provides an exit status for the if to evaluate

if [ $x == 1 ]; then

[ is a standalone binary (/usr/bin/[) which test the condition before the ] and provides an exit status for the if to evaluate

division of labor here is what lets one but anything within an if statement as long as it provides an exit code

---

//github/

myrlin

Member

Registered: 2010-06-11

Posts: 297

Re: What is "usr/bin/["

Phew!
Thanks everyone.
I'll be able to sleep tonight now!

thestinger

Package Maintainer (PM)

From: Toronto, Canada

Registered: 2010-01-23

Posts: 478

Re: What is "usr/bin/["

[thestinger ~]$ type [[
[[ is a shell keyword
[thestinger ~]$ type [
[ is a shell builtin

[ is actually built into bash too, along with echo, etc, but it emulates the standalone [