printf Command - Format and Print Data

printf is used to format and print data according to a specified format. It is more powerful and flexible than echo, supporting C-style format specifiers.

Syntax

printf FORMAT [ARGUMENT]...

Examples

printf "Hello, %s!\n" world

printf "%d + %d = %d\n" 2 3 5

Notes

• Supports many C-style format specifiers (e.g., %s, %d, %f).
• Does not automatically add a newline unless specified in the format string.
• Preferred over echo for precise formatting.