hello

Print "Hello, world!"

$ hello

$ hello [[-t|--traditional]]

$ hello [[-g|--greeting]] "[greeting_text]"

hello [OPTION]...

--help
    Print this help text, then exit.


--version
    Print version number, then exit.

The hello command is from the GNU Hello package, a minimal example program showcasing GNU build tools like Automake, Autoconf, Libtool, and Gettext.

Invoking hello without options outputs simply "Hello, world!" followed by a newline. It has no practical everyday use but is perfect for tutorials on compiling, packaging, and internationalizing software. The package supports translations in dozens of languages via Gettext, making it a standard demo for localization.

Install via package managers (e.g., apt install hello on Debian/Ubuntu, dnf install hello on Fedora). Source builds demonstrate full GNU standards compliance. Despite simplicity, its Makefile and configure system are complex for educational value. Widely referenced in official GNU docs and build tool manuals.

Not a standard core utility; requires installing the optional GNU Hello package. No positional arguments accepted. Primarily educational, not for production scripts.

hello
Output:
Hello, world!

hello --version
hello (GNU Hello) 2.12.1
...

Debian/Ubuntu: sudo apt install hello
Fedora/RHEL: sudo dnf install hello
Or build from source: ./configure && make && sudo make install

Created by Karl Berry in 1993 as a sample for GNU coding standards and packaging. Evolved to demonstrate successive tools: first simple Makefile, later full GNU build system. Maintained by GNU project; version 2.12.1 released 2021 with improved Gettext integration.

echo(1), printf(1), true(1)