Manual Pages  — TEST

All operators and flags are separate arguments to the test utility.

The following primaries are used to construct expression:

-b file
	True if file exists and is a block special file.
-c file
	True if file exists and is a character special file.
-d file
	True if file exists and is a directory.
-e file
	True if file exists (regardless of type).
-f file
	True if file exists and is a regular file.
-g file
	True if file exists and its set group ID flag is set.
-h file
	True if file exists and is a symbolic link. This operator is retained for compatibility with previous versions of this program. Do not rely on its existence; use -L instead.
-k file
	True if file exists and its sticky bit is set.
-n string
	True if the length of string is nonzero.
-p file
	True if file is a named pipe ( FIFO).
-r file
	True if file exists and is readable.
-s file
	True if file exists and has a size greater than zero.
-t file_descriptor
	True if the file whose file descriptor number is file_descriptor is open and is associated with a terminal.
-u file
	True if file exists and its set user ID flag is set.
-w file
	True if file exists and is writable. True indicates only that the write flag is on. The file is not writable on a read-only file system even if this test indicates true.
-x file
	True if file exists and is executable. True indicates only that the execute flag is on. If file is a directory, true indicates that file can be searched.
-z string
	True if the length of string is zero.
-L file
	True if file exists and is a symbolic link.
-O file
	True if file exists and its owner matches the effective user id of this process.
-G file
	True if file exists and its group matches the effective group id of this process.
-S file
	True if file exists and is a socket.
file1 -nt file2
	True if file1 exists and is newer than file2.
file1 -ot file2
	True if file1 exists and is older than file2.
file1 -ef file2
	True if file1 and file2 exist and refer to the same file.
string
	True if string is not the null string.
s1 = s2
	True if the strings s1 and s2 are identical.
s1 != s2
	True if the strings s1 and s2 are not identical.
s1 < s2
	True if string s1 comes before s2 based on the binary value of their characters.
s1 > s2
	True if string s1 comes after s2 based on the binary value of their characters.
n1 -eq n2
	True if the integers n1 and n2 are algebraically equal.
n1 -ne n2
	True if the integers n1 and n2 are not algebraically equal.
n1 -gt n2
	True if the integer n1 is algebraically greater than the integer n2.
n1 -ge n2
	True if the integer n1 is algebraically greater than or equal to the integer n2.
n1 -lt n2
	True if the integer n1 is algebraically less than the integer n2.
n1 -le n2
	True if the integer n1 is algebraically less than or equal to the integer n2.

If file is a symbolic link, test will fully dereference it and then evaluate the expression against the file referenced, except for the -h and -L primaries.

These primaries can be combined with the following operators:

amp;! expression
	True if expression is false.
expression1 -a expression2
	True if both expression1 and expression2 are true.
expression1 -o expression2
	True if either expression1 or expression2 are true.
amp;( expression amp;)
	True if expression is true.

The -a operator has higher precedence than the -o operator.

    test -n amp;"$(find -L -- FILE1 -prune -newer FILE2 2>/dev/null)amp;"