shuf

Generate random permutations.

Syntax
      shuf [OPTION]... [FILE]

      shuf -e [OPTION]... [ARG]...

      shuf -i LO-HI [OPTION]... 
Key
   
   -e, --echo
            Treat each ARG as an input line.

   -i, --input-range=LO-HI
            Treat each number LO through HI as an input line.

   -n, --head-count=COUNT
            Output at most COUNT lines.
            This should be faster than piping all the output to head.

   -o, --output=FILE
            Write result to FILE instead of standard output.

   --random-source=FILE
            Get random bytes from FILE.

   -z, --zero-terminated
            End lines with 0 byte, not newline.

   --help   Display help and exit.
            To read the complete manual run: info coreutils aqshuf invocationaq

   --version
            Output version information and exit.

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

Examples

Shuffle the content of the file cards.txt and display on screen:

$ shuf cards.txt

Shuffle the content of the file cards.txt and return 3 values:

$ shuf -n 3 cards.txt

Shuffle the numbers 1 to 5:

$ shuf -e 1 2 3 4 5

Simulate the rolling of a dice:

$ seq 1 6 | shuf -n 1

“There are many reasons why novelists write, but they all have one thing in common - a need to create an alternative world” ~ John Fowles

Related Linux commands

head - Output the first part of file(s).
sort - Sort text files.
shift - Shift positional parameters.
Equivalent Windows PowerShell command: Get-Random - Get a random number, or select objects randomly from a collection.