Hi Gnu grep folks I believe that fgrep -x -f file file should output the contents of `file`. However, it outputs something very different for the attached file. command: fgrep -x -f dfba.py dfba.py > actual_output.txt versions: $ uname -a Linux 8845f126fe89 4.19.76-linuxkit #1 SMP Thu Oct 17 19:31:58 UTC 2019 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux $ fgrep --version grep (GNU grep) 3.1 Copyright (C) 2017 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later . This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law. Written by Mike Haertel and others, see . Thanks Arthur -- Arthur Goldberg https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthurgoldberg artgoldberg@gmail.com