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fmt - simple optimal text formatter

SYNOPSIS

fmt [-WIDTH] [OPTION]... [FILE]...

DESCRIPTION

Reformat each paragraph in the FILE(s), writing to standard output. The option -WIDTH is an abbreviated form of --width=DIGITS.

With no FILE, or when FILE is -, read standard input.

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.

-c, --crown-margin
preserve indentation of first two lines

-p, --prefix=STRING
reformat only lines beginning with STRING, reattaching the prefix to reformatted lines

-s, --split-only
split long lines, but do not refill

-t, --tagged-paragraph
indentation of first line different from second

-u, --uniform-spacing
one space between words, two after sentences

-w, --width=WIDTH
maximum line width (default of 75 columns)

-g, --goal=WIDTH
goal width (default of 93% of width)

--help display this help and exit

--version
output version information and exit

AUTHOR

Written by Ross Paterson.

REPORTING BUGS

GNU coreutils online help: [https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/] Report any translation bugs to [https://translationproject.org/team/]

SEE ALSO

Full documentation [https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/fmt] or available locally via: info '(coreutils) fmt invocation'

Packaged by Debian (9.7-3) Copyright © 2025 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later [https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html]. This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.