Quick Tip

Redirecting `stderr` to `stdout` for Unified Logging

Challenge: When troubleshooting, you often need to see both standard output (stdout) and standard error (stderr) messages together to get a complete picture of what’s happening. Separately examining log files or command output can be cumbersome.

The Solution: Use the `2>&1` redirection to merge standard error into standard output.

your_command &> output.log

Why it works: The `&>` operator is a shorthand that redirects both stdout (file descriptor 1) and stderr (file descriptor 2) to the specified file. This ensures that all output, including errors, is captured in a single log file.

Pro-Tip: For older shells or more explicit control, you can use `your_command 1> output.log 2>&1`.

Linux Tips & Tricks | © ngelinux.com | 5/25/2026