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BASENAME(3)              BSD Library Functions Manual              BASENAME(3)

NAME
     basename -- extract the base portion of a pathname

SYNOPSIS
     #include <libgen.h>

     char *
     basename(char *path);

DESCRIPTION
     The basename() function returns the last component from the pathname pointed to by path, deleting any
     trailing `/' characters.  If path consists entirely of `/' characters, a pointer to the string "/" is
     returned.  If path is a null pointer or the empty string, a pointer to the string "." is returned.

RETURN VALUES
     On successful completion, basename() returns a pointer to the last component of path.

     If basename() fails, a null pointer is returned and the global variable errno is set to indicate the
     error.

ERRORS
     The following error codes may be set in errno:

     [ENAMETOOLONG]     The path component to be returned was larger than MAXPATHLEN.

WARNINGS
     The basename() function returns a pointer to internal static storage space that will be overwritten by
     subsequent calls.  The function may modify the string pointed to by path.

LEGACY SYNOPSIS
     #include <libgen.h>

     char *
     basename(const char *path);

     In legacy mode, path will not be changed.

SEE ALSO
     basename(1), dirname(1), dirname(3), compat(5)

STANDARDS
     The basename() function conforms to X/Open Portability Guide Issue 4, Version 2 (``XPG4.2'').

HISTORY
     The basename() function first appeared in OpenBSD 2.2 and FreeBSD 4.2.

AUTHORS
     Todd C. Miller <Todd.Miller@courtesan.com>

BSD                             August 17, 1997                            BSD