awk ¶The awk language provides a number of predefined, or
built-in, variables that your programs can use to get information
from awk. There are other variables your program can set
as well to control how awk processes your data.
In addition, awk provides a number of built-in functions for doing
common computational and string-related operations.
gawk provides built-in functions for working with timestamps,
performing bit manipulation, for runtime string translation (internationalization),
determining the type of a variable,
and array sorting.
As we develop our presentation of the awk language, we will introduce
most of the variables and many of the functions. They are described
systematically in Predefined Variables and in
Built-in Functions.