Return the parent directory of a path.
Section: Files and Directories
Get directory portion of path
bash
bash
dirname /var/log/nginx/access.logExplanation
Common in scripts that need to construct sibling paths.
Learn the surrounding workflow
Compare similar commands or jump into common fixes when this command is part of a bigger troubleshooting path.
Related commands
Same sheet · prioritizing Files and Directories
Create file or update timestamp
Create an empty file if it does not exist.
Create nested directories
Create one or more directories, including parents.