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Asked: 2026-05-13T21:29:36+00:00

In documentation code I see some things like this: /* * @(#)File.java 1.142 09/04/01

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In documentation code I see some things like this:

/*
 * @(#)File.java    1.142 09/04/01

what does characters like @(#) meaning?

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1 Answer

  1. Editorial Team

    @(#) is the character string used by the Unix what command to filter strings from binaries to list the components that were used to build that binary. For instance what java on AIX yields:

    java:
        23  1.4  src/bos/usr/ccs/lib/libpthreads/init.c, libpth, bos520 8/19/99 12:20:14
        61      1.14  src/bos/usr/ccs/lib/libc/__threads_init.c, libcthrd, bos520 7/11/00 12:04:14
        src/tools/sov/java.c, tool, asdev, 20081128 1.83.1.36
        src/misc/sov/copyrght.c, core, asdev, 20081128 1.8

    while `strings java | grep ‘@(#)’ yields:

    @(#)23  1.4  src/bos/usr/ccs/lib/libpthreads/init.c, libpth, bos520 8/19/99 12:20:14
@(#)61      1.14  src/bos/usr/ccs/lib/libc/__threads_init.c, libcthrd, bos520 7/11/00 12:04:14
@(#)src/tools/sov/java.c, tool, asdev, 20081128 1.83.1.36
@(#)src/misc/sov/copyrght.c, core, asdev, 20081128 1.8

    @(#) was chosen as marker because it would not occur elsewhere, source code controls systems typically add a line containing this marker and the description of the file version on synchronisation, expanding keywords with values reflecting the file contents.
    For instance, the comment you list would be the result of expanding the SCCS keywords %Z% %M% %R%.%L% %E% where the %Z% translates into @(#).

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