Why xargs Uses -t to Enable Verbose Mode

gnuoptionsxargs

Most programs use -v to enable verbose mode. Why does the GNU xargs use -t to enable verbosity?

Best Answer

And the shell uses -x (this is short for "execution trace").

For xargs, the -t option enables "trace mode", i.e. it will show you what it's doing by printing the commands that it is executing. Tracing is just another ways of "being verbose". Note that tracing the execution of commands is a particular way of being verbose, as verbosity in other commands (such as GNU mv) doesn't really show the commands being executed but just tells you that it's doing something.

You will also notice that the GNU xargs utility has a --verbose option, which is a synonym for -t.