This is quick guide howto find files and directories quick and efficiently on Linux with locate command. Linux find command is outdated, slow and complicated to use, so locate command is much better option. Locate basic usage find files and directories locate file # example locate httpd.conf locate path # example locate /X11/ Find (locate) ignore-case (not case sensitive) locate -i file # example locate -i netbeans Find (locate) only file name (basename) locate -b file # example locate -b shadow Limit locate output locate -l 100 file # example locate -l 50 conf Print number of found entries locate -c file # example locate -c conf Find (locate) with full file info Simply locate something and pipe output to ls command.