What does this case of Bash output redir mean?

[Guest_imported]

Hello,

I am pondering upon

> file2 < file1 cat

The command executes &quot;cat&quot; on file1 and redirects
the standard output to file2.
This is another way of writing
&quot;cat file1 > file2&quot;

Can someone fully explain why the first version works at all? No explanation in Bash manuals.

It is the first version reversed with > at the start.

So the standard output is redirected to file2, but as the input to file2 we get &quot;file1 cat&quot;. Why the need for > ?

I looking forward to your reply.
Thank you in advance for your consideration

 

[MikeLacey]

That *does* look weird....

even weirder - look at this

< file1 cat > file2

> file2 cat < file1

cat < file1 > file2

cat > file2 < file1

they all do the same thing.... Mike
&quot;Experience is the comb that Nature gives us after we are bald.&quot;

Is that a haiku?
I never could get the hang
of writing those things.