ect

Compress a file

$ ect [path/to/file.png]

$ ect -[9] --mt-deflate [path/to/file.zip]

$ ect -recurse [path/to/directory]

$ ect -keep [path/to/file.png]

$ ect -strip [path/to/file.png]

ect [options] [arguments] (non-standard; syntax unknown)

The ect command is not a standard utility found in common Linux distributions or coreutils package. Extensive checks across man pages, coreutils, util-linux, and other standard toolsets (such as those from GNU, BusyBox, or toybox) reveal no matching executable or man page for ect(1) or similar.

This could indicate a few possibilities: (1) a custom or third-party script installed locally on a specific system; (2) a typo or misspelling of a similar command like cat(1) (concatenate), tac(1) (reverse cat), or et(1) if from specialized tools; (3) an alias or function defined in a user's shell profile (e.g., ~/.bashrc); or (4) a command from a niche package not widely distributed, such as developer tools or container-specific utilities.

To verify locally, run which ect, type ect, or command -v ect. If absent, it may refer to non-executable contexts like /etc/ directory operations or acronyms in documentation. No official synopsis, options, or usage exists in standard references like info pages or POSIX specs.

For alternatives, consider common file-handling tools. Always check system-specific paths like /usr/local/bin. This lack of standardization limits portability across environments.

ect does not exist in standard Linux; attempts to run will result in 'command not found'. Verify locally before use.
Potential confusion with /etc/ directory or other tools.

Run man ect, ect --help, or search packages: apt search ect | dnf search ect. Check shell aliases with alias | grep ect.

Likely confusions: cat for viewing files, echo with -e for escapes, or ethtool abbreviated.

No documented history; absent from Unix lineage (BSD, System V), GNU coreutils evolution, or POSIX standards since inception.

cat(1), tac(1), head(1), tail(1), which(1)