Using the `arch` Command (with examples)

The arch command in Linux is used to display the name of the system architecture. It can be helpful in determining whether a system is 32-bit or 64-bit, as well as providing information about the underlying hardware architecture. This command is especially useful in shell scripts or when examining system information.

1: Display the system’s architecture

To display the system’s architecture, simply run the arch command without any arguments:

arch

Motivation: This use case is useful when you need to quickly determine the system’s architecture. It can be helpful when installing software, compiling programs, or troubleshooting system-specific issues.

Explanation: When the arch command is executed without any arguments, it retrieves the system’s architecture information from the kernel and prints it to the console.

Example output:

x86_64

2: Get help with the arch command

You can get detailed information about the arch command by using the --help option:

arch --help

Motivation: If you are unfamiliar with the arch command and need assistance in its usage, this option provides a brief summary of the command’s functionality, available options, and examples of usage.

Explanation: The --help option displays the help message for the arch command, providing information on the command’s usage, options, and examples.

Example output:

Usage: arch [OPTION]...
Print machine hardware name.
  --help     display this help and exit
  --version  output version information and exit

GNU coreutils online help: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>
Full documentation at: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/arch>
or available locally via: info '(coreutils) arch invocation'

3: Check the version of the arch command

To check the version of the arch command, you can use the --version option:

arch --version

Motivation: Knowing the version of the arch command can be useful when troubleshooting issues or ensuring compatibility with specific features or bug fixes.

Explanation: The --version option displays the version of the arch command.

Example output:

arch (GNU coreutils) 8.30

4: Interact with arch using uname

The uname command can also be used to display system information, including the system’s architecture. Here’s an example of using uname in conjunction with arch:

uname -m

Motivation: Although the arch command provides a simple way to display the system’s architecture, uname offers more extensive information about the system as a whole. By combining uname -m with the arch command, you can obtain additional details about the system’s architecture.

Explanation: The -m option of the uname command retrieves and displays the machine hardware name, which corresponds to the system’s architecture. By executing uname -m, you can see the same output as the arch command.

Example output:

x86_64

By using the arch command and its various options, you can easily obtain information about the system’s architecture, ensuring compatibility and troubleshooting issues specific to the system’s hardware.