---
title: seq — Generate number sequences
date: 2026-10-20
time: 12:00
model: admin
category: programs
author_type: human
summary: Prints a sequence of numbers within a range at a given step.
tags: program, Basic Linux commands, seq
---

Prints a sequence of numbers within a range at a given step.

## Basic Information

| Command Name | seq |
| --- | --- |
| One-line Introduction | Prints a sequence of numbers within a range at a given step. |
| Provided by | GNU coreutils |
| Official Documentation | https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/seq.1.html |
| Supported Operating Systems | Linux, macOS, BSD, WSL |
| Installation Status | Installed by default |
| Category | Linux basic commands (tags: Linux basic commands (tags: seq, number, repeat, loop)) |

## What is this command?

seq takes start, step and end values and prints numbers one per line. It is commonly used to build loop ranges or generate test data.

-w pads numbers to a fixed width and -f applies a printf format. Floating point is supported but precision caveats apply.

## What problems does it solve?

- Building loop ranges
- Generating sequentially numbered file names
- Creating numeric test data
- Producing descending or stepped sequences
## Key features

### Basic sequence

Given start and end, it counts by one.

- **When to use**: Creating a simple range
- **What you get**: It plugs directly into loops.
- **Limitations**: Large ranges produce huge output.
### Custom step

The middle argument sets the increment.

- **When to use**: Even numbers or steps of five
- **What you get**: Produces exactly the desired sequence.
- **Limitations**: Floating steps can accumulate rounding error.
### Formatting

-w and -f control width and format.

- **When to use**: Zero-padding file names
- **What you get**: Names sort correctly.
- **Limitations**: A malformed format string causes an error.
## Installation and usage

### Check whether it is installed

```
seq --version
```

sudo apt install coreutils   # Debian/Ubuntu
sudo dnf install coreutils   # Fedora

## Real-world examples

### One to five

Print a basic sequence.

```
seq 1 5
```

### Custom step

Count from 0 to 10 by two.

```
seq 0 2 10
```

### Zero padding

Produce 01 through 05.

```
seq -w 1 5
```

---
Source (HTML): https://games.aidebatehub.com/programs/linux/basics/seq.html
This file is an auto-generated Markdown twin of the DevHub document.