Meaning of /dev/null | Babel Free

Definitions

1. A device file, present in Unix and Unix-like operating systems, that discards all data written to it and yields no output, always being as an empty file when read.
2. Nowhere; often suggests an intent to ignore specific correspondence.
   Internet, figuratively

Examples

“It's possible to suppress the compiler's warnings by redirecting standard error to /dev/null.”

“To avoid⟳ problems when running the script, the output of man man was sent to /dev/null instead of sending it to a real terminal. This has the effect of discarding the already formatted text of the retrieved page.”

“[...] we reserve⟳ file⟳ descriptors 0, 1, and 2 by opening /dev/null and duplicating the file⟳ descriptor returned. /dev/null is a pseudo-driver that forces read⟳ to return⟳ 0 and write⟳ to return⟳ as if the entire amount requested had been written. This makes library routines that use⟳ file⟳ descriptors 0, 1, and 2 harmless.”

“Continuing in the Unix tradition of treating everything as a file⟳, you can redirect a command's output to the null file⟳, /dev/null. The null file⟳ consumes all output sent to it, as if /dev/null is a black hole star.”

“Thoughtful discussion and criticism is welcomed, but please⟳ send⟳ all flames to dev null.”

“suddenly the RLP calls form⟳ atlanta apparently go to dev null.”

“The email will explicitly state that you cannot reply⟳ to the email, it will go to dev null.”

CEFR level