# DuckDB Shellfs Extension [](https://duckdb.org/community_extensions/extensions/shellfs.html) [](https://github.com/Query-farm/shellfs/actions/workflows/MainDistributionPipeline.yml?query=branch%3Av1.5) The `shellfs` extension for DuckDB enables the use of Unix pipes for input and output. By appending a pipe character `|` to a filename, DuckDB will treat it as a series of commands to execute and capture the output. Conversely, if you prefix a filename with `|`, DuckDB will treat it as an output pipe. ## Documentation Full documentation, including installation, usage, the function reference, and cookbook examples, is available at: **[https://query.farm/products/extensions/shellfs](https://query.farm/products/extensions/shellfs)** ## Installation ```sql install shellfs from community; load shellfs; ``` ## Development For instructions on building the extension from source and running its tests, see [BUILDING.md](BUILDING.md).