> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://freebsdfrau.gitbook.io/serious-shell-programming/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://freebsdfrau.gitbook.io/serious-shell-programming/style/redirection.md).

# Redirection

Redirection to a file should have a single space after the operator before the file. If the file contains a variable, it should be quoted. File descriptor alterations should have no whitespace. All redirections should occur at the end of the line. Do not quote static paths unless they contain special characters (``~!#$*();`'"<>?\``).

```
exec 3<&1
echo 123 > somefile
echo 456 >> somefile
echo abc > "$file"
echo def >> "$file"
kill -1 "$pid" > /dev/null 2>&1
```

Here document redirections should appear at the end of the line.

```
cat >> file <<EOF
Added to file
EOF
if some condition; then
    cat >> file <<-EOF
    Added to file
    EOF
fi
```