The head command is a lightweight Linux utility that displays the top portion of a file, making it useful for quick file previews without opening the whole file.
In real-world DevOps and cloud workflows, head allows for instant insight into log files without consuming unnecessary resources or taxing the system.
Real-world examples include quick log analysis, custom line count for config verification, previewing multiple files at once, and byte-limited previews for binary files.
Power user techniques involve combining head with other commands, dynamic file selection, and stream processing with pipes, while knowing when to use head versus alternatives like less, tail, and rep.