If you’ve ever copied something in a Linux terminal and wished you could paste it into a browser, file, or GUI app — xclip is the tool you need.
Table of Contents
Quick Summary: xclip Commands Cheat Sheet
| Task | Command |
|---|---|
| Install xclip (Ubuntu/Debian) | sudo apt install xclip |
| Install xclip (RHEL/CentOS) | sudo dnf install xclip |
| Copy text to clipboard | echo "hello" | xclip -selection clipboard |
| Copy file content | xclip -selection clipboard < file.txt |
| Paste from clipboard | xclip -selection clipboard -o |
| Copy command output | ls -l | xclip -selection clipboard |
| Copy SSH public key | xclip -selection clipboard < ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub |
| Use primary selection (mouse select) | xclip -selection primary |
What Is xclip?
xclip is a command-line utility that allows you to access the X11 clipboard from the terminal.
It works in desktop Linux environments such as:
- GNOME
- KDE
- XFCE
- Any system running X11
⚠️ Note:
xclipdoes not work in pure TTY or Wayland-only environments without X11 compatibility.
How to Install xclip
Ubuntu / Debian
sudo apt update
sudo apt install xclip
RHEL 8 / RHEL 9 / CentOS / Rocky Linux
sudo dnf install xclip
Since you’re experienced with RHEL systems, you’ll typically use dnf in modern enterprise environments.
Arch Linux
sudo pacman -S xclip
How to Copy Text to Clipboard in Linux Terminal
Method 1 – Copy Simple Text
echo "Hello World" | xclip -selection clipboard
Now you can paste it into:
- Browser
- VS Code
- LibreOffice
- Any GUI app
Method 2 – Copy File Content
xclip -selection clipboard < file.txt
Useful when:
- Copying configuration files
- Sending logs to Slack
- Sharing output quickly
Method 3 – Copy Command Output
ls -lah | xclip -selection clipboard
Perfect for:
- Debugging
- Sharing server info
- Sending command results
How to Paste from Clipboard in Terminal
xclip -selection clipboard -o
The -o flag means “output”.
This prints clipboard content into the terminal.
See also: Mastering the Linux Command Line — Your Complete Free Training Guide
Understanding Clipboard Selections in xclip
Linux has two clipboard types:
| Selection | Description |
|---|---|
primary | Mouse selection (middle-click paste) |
clipboard | Standard Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V clipboard |
Most users want:
xclip -selection clipboard
Practical Real-World Examples
1. Copy SSH Public Key (Very Common)
xclip -selection clipboard < ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub
Now paste into:
- GitHub
- GitLab
- Cloud console
- Remote server
2. Copy IP Address Quickly
hostname -I | awk '{print $1}' | xclip -selection clipboard
Very useful when configuring remote servers.
3. Copy Kubernetes Pod Logs
kubectl logs mypod | xclip -selection clipboard
Instantly share logs without saving files.
4. Copy Database Query Result
psql -c "SELECT now();" | xclip -selection clipboard
Helpful when working with PostgreSQL.
5. Copy JSON Pretty Output
cat data.json | jq . | xclip -selection clipboard
Clean formatted JSON copied instantly.
xclip vs xsel – Which Is Better?
| Feature | xclip | xsel |
|---|---|---|
| Simple syntax | ✅ | ✅ |
| Widely used | ✅ | ⚠️ |
| Better documentation | ✅ | ⚠️ |
Most tutorials and enterprise environments use xclip.
5 Quick One-Line FAQ
1. What does xclip do?
It copies and pastes data between the Linux terminal and GUI clipboard.
2. Does xclip work over SSH?
Yes, if X11 forwarding is enabled (ssh -X).
3. What’s the difference between primary and clipboard?
Primary is mouse-select paste; clipboard is Ctrl+C/Ctrl+V.
4. Does xclip work on Wayland?
Not reliably — use wl-copy instead.
5. How do I copy a file without opening it?
Use: xclip -selection clipboard < filename
Learning xclip will save you time every day.
