help

Before running this

This is a reference for Bash; commands do not run on this page. Use the matching shell on your own computer. Read the example, expected result and notes before trying it. New to terminals? Start with the shell basics.

Syntax

UPPERCASE words are placeholders to replace. Brackets in the syntax line describe optional arguments; do not type those brackets literally.

help [BUILTIN]

Example

help read

Expected result

Help for Bash’s read builtin.

Notes and traps

Use man for external programs. Bash is the shell; grep, find, and cp are separate utilities.

Related commands

• PowerShell: Get-Help
• PowerShell: Get-Command
• CMD: help
• CMD: where

Related tasks may need different flags and have different semantics. Check the entry before translating a command between shells.

Updated 13 September 2026. Examples describe the expected behavior; not every platform is available for execution testing.