sleep Command in Linux

Syntax of sleep Command in Linux

The basic syntax of the sleep command in Linux is as follows:

Where:

• NUMBER: This is the numeric value that defines the duration of the delay. It can be any number, including a decimal.
• SUFFIX: This optional part of the syntax defines the unit of time for the delay. It can be 's' for seconds, 'm' for minutes, 'h' for hours, or 'd' for days. If no suffix is provided, the sleep command in Linux assumes seconds by default.

Options in sleep Command in Linux

1. --help: Displays help information for the sleep command.

   For example -

   Output:

   This command displays the usage information and available options for the sleep command.

2. --version: Displays the version information of the sleep command.

   For example -

   Output:

   This command displays the version of the sleep utility installed on your system.

Example Usages

• Basic usage of sleep Command with seconds.:

  Output:

  Explanation: The command delays the next operation for 5 seconds.

• Using sleep command with minutes.:

  Output:

  Explanation: The command pauses the next operation for 2 minutes.

Advanced Use Cases of sleep Command in Linux

• Combining sleep with other commands using the semicolon (;).:

  Output:

  Explanation: This command prints 'Starting', waits for 3 seconds, and then prints 'Finished'.

• Using sleep in a bash loop.:

  Output:

  Explanation: This command counts from 1 to 5, with a delay of 1 second between each number.

• Delaying the execution of a bash script using sleep.:

  Output:

  Explanation: This command demonstrates how to delay a script's execution by 2 hours using the sleep command in Linux.