Quick Tip

Redirect `stderr` to `stdout` for Unified Logging

Challenge: When running complex commands or scripts, error messages (on stderr) and standard output (on stdout) can get mixed up or lost, making troubleshooting difficult. You want a way to capture both in a single location for easier analysis.

The Solution: Use the `2>&1` redirection operator.

your_command &> output.log

Why it works: This redirects file descriptor 2 (stderr) to file descriptor 1 (stdout), and then redirects both to the specified file. The `&>` is a shorthand for `2>&1`.

Pro-Tip: For even more control, you can use `command > stdout.txt 2> stderr.txt` to send stdout and stderr to separate files.

Linux Tips & Tricks | © ngelinux.com | 5/21/2026