With locate , we'll see every related file or directory which matches our search criterion. Let's say we want to search for all files related to the finger command. The locate command uses a database to check for files and directories which match the string finger . That database is automatically updated on a nightly basis, from cron . More about cron cron is a daemon .
Daemons handle tasks in the background.
To read the cron man page, type man cron at the shell prompt. Shutdown and turn off our machine at the end of the day. This might mean that cron rarely has a chance to update the slocate database, which is used to catalogue locations of files. But we can just update the database manually. Let's give it a try.