shuf

Randomize the order of lines in a file and output the result

$ shuf [filename]

Only output the first 5 entries of the result

$ shuf -n [5] [filename]

Write the output to another file

$ shuf [filename] -o [output_filename]

Generate random numbers in range

$ shuf -i [1-10]

shuf [ OPTION ]...[ FILE ]
shuf -e [ OPTION ]...[ ARG ]...
shuf -i LO-HI [ OPTION ]...

Write a random permutation of the input lines to standard output.

With no FILE, or when FILE is -, read standard input.

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.

-e , --echo treat each ARG as an input line

-i , --input -range = LO -HI treat each number LO through HI as an input line

-n , --head -count = COUNT output at most COUNT lines

-o , --output = FILE write result to FILE instead of standard output

--random -source = FILE get random bytes from FILE

-r , --repeat output lines can be repeated

-z , --zero -terminated line delimiter is NUL, not newline

--help display this help and exit

--version output version information and exit

GNU coreutils online help: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>
Report any translation bugs to <https://translationproject.org/team/>

Copyright 2019 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

Full documentation <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/shuf> or available locally via: info shuf invocation

Written by Paul Eggert.