Quick Tip

Tame Terminal Noise: Unified Logging with `2>&1`

Challenge: When running commands that produce both standard output (stdout) and error output (stderr), it can be cumbersome to manage or analyze them separately, especially when redirecting output to a file or pipe.

The Solution: Use the `2>&1` redirection to send stderr to the same destination as stdout.

command_that_produces_output &> output.log

Why it works: The `&>` operator is a shorthand for `&1` (stdout) and `2>&1` (stderr). This redirects both streams to the specified file, allowing for unified logging and easier troubleshooting.

Pro-Tip: For simpler redirection of just stdout, you can use `command > output.log`.

Linux Tips & Tricks | © ngelinux.com | 6/27/2026