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How to Rename Files in Linux

How to Rename Files in Linux
Awais Khan
Technical writer
Linux
23.01.2025
Reading time: 7 min

Visualize yourself as a Linux expert, skillfully navigating files and directories. One day, you find yourself needing to alter the names of numerous files. Perhaps you're organizing documents, changing photos names from a vacation, or managing code files for a project. Renaming each file manually seems daunting and time-consuming. What do you do?

The Linux environment offers various strong tools to make this task easy and effective. Whether dealing with a single file or a directory full of them, the system offers various ways to change files names quickly and easily.

Here, we'll explore a range of ways to rename files in the Linux environment. 

Method 1: Via the mv Command

Changing file names in Linux is usually accomplished via the mv command, which is both simple and widely adopted. Besides changing file names, it can also be employed to move files.

The primary syntax is:

mv [options] source target

Where:

  • source is the existing name or path of the file or directory you aim to rename or move.

  • target refers to the updated name or destination path for the file or directory.

Changing a Filename with mv

Adhere to the following steps to change a filename with mv:

  1. Launch your terminal application.

  2. Enter the directory where the file you wish to change is located:

cd /path/to/directory

Image1

  1. Employ mv to change the filename:

mv oldfilename newfilename

Image3

Update oldfilename to match the current name and newfilename to reflect the new name.

  1. Check the directory files to ensure their names are changed:

ls

Image2

Other Options

  1. To prevent existing files from being overwritten, apply:

mv -n oldfilename newfilename
  1. For transferring files to another directory while modifying their names, utilize:

mv oldfilename /newpath/newfilename
  1. To change directories name, apply:

mv olddirectory newdirectory

Method 2: Via the rename Command

For bulk files, rename surpasses mv in functionality. It can change multiple filenames in a single command and accommodates complex patterns with regular expressions.

Below is the standard format for employing the command:

rename [options] 's/oldpattern/newpattern/' files

Where:

  • 's/oldpattern/newpattern/': A substitution pattern where oldpattern is the text you want to replace, and newpattern is the text you want to substitute in.

  • files: The files you want to apply the rename operation to.

rename Installation on Linux

Some Linux distributions don't come with this utility pre-installed. Employ the package manager for installation.

On Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo apt install rename

On CentOS/RHEL:

sudo yum install prename

Changing a Filename with rename

  1. Launch the terminal and go to the target folder:

cd /path/to/directory
  1. Next, run rename with a regex pattern to adjust multiple file names:

rename 's/oldpattern/newpattern/' *

Image5

Replace oldpattern with the pattern you want to modify and newpattern with the updated pattern.

  1. To update all .txt filenames to .md in a directory, utilize:

rename 's/\.txt$/\.md/' *.txt

Image4

Additional rename Options

  • Start filename with a prefixed text:

rename 's/^/prefix_/' *
  • Append a suffix to the filenames:

rename 's/$/_suffix/' *
  • Real-time filename display while renaming:

rename -v 's/oldpattern/newpattern/' *
  • Update the filename even if the target file already exists:

rename -f 's/oldpattern/newpattern/' *
  • Previews the actions without executing any modifications:

rename -n 's/oldpattern/newpattern/' *

Method 3: Via Bash Script

To perform more advanced file name changes, consider using a bash script. This technique enables sophisticated file name changes and automates frequent renaming operations.

  1. Open your terminal and create a new script file to start writing a bash script:

nano rename_files.sh
  1. Proceed by adding this code to the script file:

#!/bin/bash
for file in *.txt; do
mv "$file" "${file%.txt}.md"
done

This script changes all .txt filenames to .md files.

  1. Save the file and grant it executable permissions:

sudo chmod +x rename_files.sh
  1. Run the script to change filenames:

./rename_files.sh

Image7

Method 4: Via the find Command with mv

find and mv together offer a precise way to update multiple file names based on detailed conditions. Using this method, you can pinpoint specific files based on criteria like name patterns, size, and modification date. Further commands can be combined to create powerful file modification operations.

Use this template to update file names with find and mv:

find . -name "oldpattern" -exec mv {} newpattern \;

Image6

Additional Options

  • Change the file names larger than 1MB:

find . -size +1M -exec mv {} newname \;
  • Modify file names in the last 7 days:

find . -mtime -7 -exec mv {} newname \;

Method 5: Via the mmv Command

The mmv command is a powerful tool designed to simplify batch renaming of files through its advanced pattern matching capabilities. This command allows you to change multiple filenames at once by specifying patterns and replacement strings. It makes it ideal for handling large numbers of files that follow a specific naming convention. 

The syntax is:

mmv [options] source target

Changing a Filename with mmv

  1. Get mmv ready for use by installing it through the default package manager:

sudo apt install mmv
  1. Utilize mmv alongside patterns for effective filename modification:

mmv oldpattern newpattern

Image9

Additional mmv Options

  • Utilize this command to add a prefix to every file in a directory:

mmv '*' 'prefix#1'
  • Exhibit the names of files as they get modified:

mmv -v '*.txt' 'prefix_#1.txt'

Method 6: Via GUI

For those who favor a graphical interface, various Linux desktop environments offer tools for effortless file name changes. This approach is especially beneficial for users who aren't as familiar with command-line tasks.

Follow this procedure to change file names through a graphical tool:

  1. Launch your file manager application. The name and appearance may vary depending on your desktop environment (e.g., Nautilus for GNOME, Dolphin for KDE, Thunar for XFCE).

Image8

  1. Open the file manager/explorer and head to the folder with the files.

Image12

  1. Right-click the file you plan to edit and pick "Rename" or "Edit Name" from the contextual menu that appears.

Image11

  1. Type the new name, then press Enter or select "Rename" to apply the update.

Image13

Bulk file name change procedures may differ somewhat based on your file manager:

  1. Hold the Ctrl key and click on each file you want to change to select them.

  1. Select "Rename" by right-clicking on any of the files you've picked.

Image15

  1. Confirm the updates and check that the files are adjusted as desired.

Best Practices for File Naming Conventions

Consistent file naming conventions can significantly improve the ease of managing files and enhance overall organization. This section outlines best practices for naming files.

Use Descriptive Names

Choose names that are clear and descriptive, highlighting the file's content, purpose, or creation date. For example, replace doc1.txt with project_report_Jan2025.txt.

Avoid Special Characters

Refrain from including special characters (such as !, @, #, $, %, ^, &, and *) in filenames, since they can cause complications in file management and scripts.

Use Underscores or Hyphens

Replace spaces with underscores (_) or hyphens (-) in filenames to ensure they work seamlessly across different systems and scripts. For instance, use project_report_Jan2025.txt instead of project report Jan 2025.txt.

Guidelines for Changing Filename in Linux

  • Backup First: Back up your files first before performing extensive name changes.

  • Test Changes: Test the changes on a handful of files first.

  • Careful Use of Wildcards: Use wildcards carefully to prevent unintentional file modifications.

Conclusion

There are several approaches to changing file names in Linux, each tailored to different user preferences. Single-file tasks suit mv; for bulk operations, choose rename or mmv. Advanced customization can be achieved with Bash scripts and command combinations, whereas GUI tools present a more user-friendly choice. This in-depth guide will ensure you’re capable of executing any filename changing task smoothly in a Linux environment. 

By mastering these tools and techniques, you can significantly enhance your efficiency and productivity when managing files in Linux. Understanding how to use these commands not only saves time but also reduces the risk of errors that can occur with manual renaming.

In addition, Hostman provides Linux VPS web hosting services to empower your applications. 

Linux
23.01.2025
Reading time: 7 min

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Now extract the NATS archive using the installed extractor: unzip nats-server-v2.10.22-linux-amd64.zip Check the file list: ls As you can see, a new folder with the archive contents has appeared: nats-server-v2.10.22-linux-amd64  nats-server-v2.10.22-linux-amd64.zip  resize.log  snap We no longer need the archive, so delete it: rm nats-server-v2.10.22-linux-amd64.zip Installing NATS Server Installation Let's look at the contents of the created folder: ls nats-server-v2.10.22-linux-amd64 Inside it is the main directory with the NATS server: LICENSE  nats-server  README.md This is what we need to copy to the system catalog with binary files: sudo mv nats-server-v2.10.22-linux-amd64/nats-server /usr/local/bin/ After copying, you need to set the appropriate access permissions: sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/nats-server The folder with NATS contents, like the archive, can now also be deleted: rm nats-server-v2.10.22-linux-amd64 -R Server Verification Let's verify that the NATS server is installed by requesting its version: nats-server -v A similar output should appear in the console terminal: nats-server: v2.10.22 However, this command doesn't start the server; it only returns its version. 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In this case, when exiting the console, the server will stop working. To prevent this, you need to create a file for the systemd service: sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/nats-server.service Its contents will be: [Unit] Description=NATS message broker server After=syslog.target network.target [Service] Type=simple ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/nats-server -c /etc/nats/nats-server.conf User=nats Group=nats LimitNOFILE=65536 ExecReload=/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID Restart=on-failure [Install] WantedBy=multi-user.target This file contains several key parameters: Description: Short description of the service ExecStart: NATS server startup command with the configuration file explicitly specified User: Name of the user created for NATS Now we need to set up the service to start up at boot:  systemctl enable nats-server --now The --now flag immediately starts the specified service. The corresponding message will appear in the console: Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/nats-server.service → /etc/systemd/system/nats-server.service. Now check the status of the running service: systemctl status nats-server If the NATS server service started successfully, the corresponding message will be among the console output: ... Active: active (running) ... Connecting to NATS You can connect to the NATS server through the console terminal and thus perform message broker testing. For example, publish messages or subscribe to subjects. Client Installation To manage the NATS server, you need to install the natscli client. You can download it from the official GitHub repository: wget https://github.com/nats-io/natscli/releases/download/v0.1.5/nats-0.1.5-amd64.deb After this, the downloaded archive can be extracted and installed: dpkg -i nats-0.1.5-amd64.deb The archive itself can be deleted as it's no longer needed: rm nats-0.1.5-amd64.deb Sending Messages Now you can send a message to the message broker: nats pub -s 127.0.0.1 "someSubject" "Some message" In this command, we send the message "Some message" to the subject "someSubject" to the message broker running on IP address 127.0.0.1 and located on the standard NATS port - 4222. After this, information about the sent data will appear in the console terminal: 10:59:51 Published 12 bytes to "someSubject" Reading Messages Currently, no one will see this message since there's no agent subscribed to the specified subject. We can simulate a service subscribed to the subject and reading messages using another SSH session. To do this, you need to open another console terminal, connect to the remote machine, and subscribe to the previously specified subject: nats sub -s 127.0.0.1 "someSubject" A message about successful subscription will appear in the terminal: 11:11:10 Subscribing on someSubject Now repeat sending the message from the first terminal: nats pub -s 127.0.0.1 "someSubject" "Some message" Information about the new message will appear in the second terminal: [#1] Received on "someSubject" Some message Let's send another message from the first terminal: nats pub -s 127.0.0.1 "someSubject" "Some message again" The corresponding notification will appear in the second terminal: [#2] Received on "someSubject" Some message again Note that the console output of received messages has numbering in square brackets. Go Program + NATS Let's create a small program in the Golang programming language using the NATS message broker. Installing Go First, you need to ensure that the Go compiler is installed in the system: go version If the following message appears in the console terminal, then Go is not yet installed: Command 'go' not found, but can be installed with: snap install go # version 1.23.2, or apt install golang-go # version 2:1.18~0ubuntu2 apt install gccgo-go # version 2:1.18~0ubuntu2 See 'snap info go' for additional versions. In this case, you need to download it as an archive from the official website: wget https://go.dev/dl/go1.23.3.linux-amd64.tar.gz -O go.tar.gz And then extracted: sudo tar -xzvf go.tar.gz -C /usr/local As we no longer need the downloaded archive, we can delete it: rm go.tar.gz Next, you need to add the Go compiler to the PATH variable so it can be called from the console terminal: echo export PATH=$HOME/go/bin:/usr/local/go/bin:$PATH >> ~/.profile Then apply the changes: source ~/.profile Verify that Go is installed successfully by requesting its version: go version You will see a similar output: go version go1.23.3 linux/amd64 Creating a Project Let's create a separate folder for the Golang program: mkdir nats_go Then navigate to it: cd nats_go And initialize the Go project: go mod init nats_go Installing the Module After project initialization, you need to install the NATS client from the official GitHub repository. You don't need to download anything manually; it's enough to use the built-in Golang function: go get github.com/nats-io/nats.go/ Writing Code Now you can create a file with the program code: nano nats_go.go Its contents will be: package main import ( "fmt" // module for working with console "os" // module for working with system functions "time" // module for working with time "github.com/nats-io/nats.go" // module for working with NATS server ) func main() { // get NATS server address from environment variable url := os.Getenv("NATS_URL") // if there's no address in environment variable, use default address if url == "" { url = nats.DefaultURL } // connect to NATS server nc, _ := nats.Connect(url) // defer message broker cleanup until main() function completion defer nc.Drain() // send message to subject without subscribers to ensure it disappears nc.Publish("people.philosophers", []byte("Hello, Socrates!")) // subscribe to all sub-subjects in "people" subject sub, _ := nc.SubscribeSync("people.*") // extract message msg, _ := sub.NextMsg(10 * time.Millisecond) // output message status (it's not there because it was sent before subscribing to subjects) fmt.Printf("No message? Answer: %v\n", msg == nil) // send message to "philosophers" sub-subject of "people" subject nc.Publish("people.philosophers", []byte("Hello, Socrates!")) // send message to "physicists" sub-subject of "people" subject nc.Publish("people.physicists", []byte("Hello, Feynman!")) // extract message and output to console msg, _ = sub.NextMsg(10 * time.Millisecond) fmt.Printf("Message: %q in subject %q\n", string(msg.Data), msg.Subject) // extract message and output to console msg, _ = sub.NextMsg(10 * time.Millisecond) fmt.Printf("Message: %q in subject %q\n", string(msg.Data), msg.Subject) // send message to "biologists" sub-subject of "people" subject nc.Publish("people.biologists", []byte("Hello, Darwin!")) // extract message and output to console msg, _ = sub.NextMsg(10 * time.Millisecond) fmt.Printf("Message: %q in subject %q\n", string(msg.Data), msg.Subject) } Now you can run the created program: go run . The program's output will appear in the console terminal: No message? Answer: true Message: "Hello, Socrates!" in subject "people.philosophers" Message: "Hello, Feynman!" in subject "people.physicists" Message: "Hello, Darwin!" in subject "people.biologists" Python Program + NATS As another example, let's consider using the NATS message broker in the Python programming language. First, you need to ensure that the Python interpreter is installed in the system by requesting its version: python --version The corresponding message will appear in the console: Python 3.10.12 Note that this guide uses Python version 3.10.12. Installing PIP To download the NATS client for Python, you first need to install the PIP package manager: apt install python3-pip -y The -y flag helps automatically answer positively to all questions during installation. Installing the Client Now you can install the NATS client for Python: pip install nats-py Creating a Project For the Python program, let's create a separate directory: mkdir nats_python And navigate to it: cd nats_python Writing Code Let's create a file with the program code: nano nats_python.py Its contents will be: import os import asyncio # import NATS client import nats from nats.errors import TimeoutError # get environment variable containing NATS server address servers = os.environ.get("NATS_URL", "nats://localhost:4222").split(",") async def main(): # connect to NATS server nc = await nats.connect(servers=servers) # send message to subject without subscribers to ensure it disappears await nc.publish("people.philosophers", "Hello, Socrates!".encode()) # subscribe to all sub-subjects in "people" subject sub = await nc.subscribe("people.*") try: # extract message msg = await sub.next_msg(timeout=0.1) except TimeoutError: pass # send message to "philosophers" sub-subject of "people" subject await nc.publish("people.philosophers", "Hello, Socrates!".encode()) # send message to "physicists" sub-subject of "people" subject await nc.publish("people.physicists", "Hello, Feynman!".encode()) # extract message and output to console msg = await sub.next_msg(timeout=0.1) print(f"{msg.data.decode('utf-8')} in subject {msg.subject}") # extract message and output to console msg = await sub.next_msg(timeout=0.1) print(f"{msg.data.decode('utf-8')} in subject {msg.subject}") # send message to "biologists" sub-subject of "people" subject await nc.publish("people.biologists", "Hello, Darwin!".encode()) # extract message and output to console msg = await sub.next_msg(timeout=0.1) print(f"{msg.data.decode('utf-8')} in subject {msg.subject}") # unsubscribe from subjects await sub.unsubscribe() # clean up message broker await nc.drain() if __name__ == '__main__': asyncio.run(main()) Now you can run the created script: python nats_python.py The result of its operation will be the following output in the console terminal: Hello, Socrates! in subject people.philosophers Hello, Feynman! in subject people.physicists Hello, Darwin! in subject people.biologists As you can notice, the logic of this Python program doesn't differ from the logic of the Go program. The difference is only in the syntactic constructions of the specific programming language. Conclusion This guide examined the use of the NATS message broker in sequential stages: Downloading and installing NATS from the official GitHub repository Minimal NATS server configuration Managing the NATS server through the console terminal client Using NATS in a Golang program Using NATS in a Python program We downloaded all NATS clients used in this guide (for terminal, Go, and Python) from the official NATS repository on GitHub, which hosts modules and libraries for all programming languages supported by NATS. You can find more detailed information about configuring and using NATS in the official documentation. There are also many examples of using NATS in different programming languages.
24 June 2025 · 13 min to read

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