In Unix and Unix-like operating systems, <code>type</code> is a command that describes how its arguments would be interpreted if used as command names.
Where applicable, <code>type</code> will display the command name's path. Possible command types are:
The command returns a non-zero exit status if command names cannot be found.
The <code>type</code> command was a shell builtin for Bourne shell that was introduced in AT&T's System V Release 2 (SVR2) in 1984, and continues to be included in many other POSIX-compatible shells such as Bash. However, <code>type</code> is not part of the POSIX standard. With a POSIX shell, similar behavior is retrieved with command -V name
In the KornShell, the command <code>whence</code> provides similar functionality.
The command is available as a separate package for Microsoft Windows as part of the UnxUtils collection of native Win32 ports of common GNU Unix-like utilities.