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Life & fun · December 11, 2013

New unix utility "when"

run a command until a condition is met, then run another one! - apg/when

New unix utility "when" launched on December 11, 2013 with 20 votes, #420 of 927 launches that month and more than 75% of that year's launches. The site was still online in September 2026, 12 years on.

Visit github.com ↗New unix utility "when" alternatives

In plain words

When" is a Unix utility that executes a command repeatedly until a specified condition is met, then runs a subsequent command. Designed for developers and system administrators who need to automate conditional workflows, it simplifies scripting by eliminating the need for manual loop construction. The tool is particularly useful for monitoring processes, waiting for system states, or chaining dependent operations in shell scripts and automation tasks.

written from the facts on this page · September 2026

Does a similar job

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