8.2 paste: Merge lines of files

paste writes to standard output lines consisting of sequentially corresponding lines of each given file, separated by a TAB character. Standard input is used for a file name of ‘-’ or if no input files are given.

For example:

     $ cat num2
     1
     2
     $ cat let3
     a
     b
     c
     $ paste num2 let3
     1       a
     2       b
             c

Synopsis:

     paste [option]... [file]...

The program accepts the following options. Also see Common options.

‘-s’

‘--serial’

Paste the lines of one file at a time rather than one line from each file. Using the above example data:

          $ paste -s num2 let3
          1       2
          a       b       c

‘-d delim-list’

‘--delimiters=delim-list’

Consecutively use the characters in delim-list instead of TAB to separate merged lines. When delim-list is exhausted, start again at its beginning. Using the above example data:

          $ paste -d '%_' num2 let3 num2
          1%a_1
          2%b_2
          %c_

An exit status of zero indicates success, and a nonzero value indicates failure.