Dev-null: Difference between revisions

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{{dablink|The correct name of this article is /dev/null, but has been renamed due to technical limitations of the MediaWiki system.}}
{{dablink|The formal name of this article is /dev/null, but has been renamed due to technical limitations of the MediaWiki system.}}


In [[Unix]] (and Unix-like) operating systems, the '''/dev/null''' character device file is a container that disposes all data written to it, and returns nothing when read from, except the [[EOF|End of File]] (EOF) character. Because it is located in the /dev, or device, directory, it is commonly known as the 'null device.' Other synonyms include the 'black hole' and the 'bit bucket.'<ref name="LSAG">{{cite web
In [[Unix]] (and Unix-like) operating systems, the '''/dev/null''' character device file is a container that disposes all data written to it, and returns nothing when read from, except the [[EOF|End of File]] (EOF) character. Because it is located in the /dev, or device, directory, it is commonly known as the 'null device.' Other synonyms include the 'black hole' and the 'bit bucket.'<ref name="LSAG">{{cite web

Revision as of 18:29, 15 April 2007

Template:Dablink

In Unix (and Unix-like) operating systems, the /dev/null character device file is a container that disposes all data written to it, and returns nothing when read from, except the End of File (EOF) character. Because it is located in the /dev, or device, directory, it is commonly known as the 'null device.' Other synonyms include the 'black hole' and the 'bit bucket.'[1]

It is commonly used to not show the output of programs (when they are run in scripts),[1] and has oft been used in jokes and puns. For instance, the original BSD Daemon, drawn by Phil Foglio, featured a demon standing near a 'bit bucket.' Another usage would be on an Internet forum or IRC, when someone says something to the effect "Flames will be redirected to /dev/null."

References