# How to combine/merge fastq files? -- Answer/tool: Concatenate datasets tail-to-head (cat)

**URL:** <https://help.galaxyproject.org/t/how-to-combine-merge-fastq-files-answer-tool-concatenate-datasets-tail-to-head-cat/4871>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Tags:** text-manipulation\
**Created:** [November 18, 2020, 11:05pm UTC](https://help.galaxyproject.org/t/how-to-combine-merge-fastq-files-answer-tool-concatenate-datasets-tail-to-head-cat/4871 "2020-11-18T23:05:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![HamidGaikani](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/help.galaxyproject.org/hamidgaikani/32/2099_2.png) [@HamidGaikani](https://help.galaxyproject.org/u/HamidGaikani)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2020, 11:05pm UTC](https://help.galaxyproject.org/t/how-to-combine-merge-fastq-files-answer-tool-concatenate-datasets-tail-to-head-cat/4871/1 "2020-11-18T23:05:36Z")

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Dear all,

I am a very new galaxy user. I have 4 fastq files from the same organism, 2 forward reads and 2 reverse reads. I want to merge forward by forward and reverse by reverse before mapping the genome.  
I’ve found several tutorials on mapping, which are great, but I don’t know how to merge my sequences.

Could you please kindly help me with this?

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**Author:** ![gallardoalba](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/help.galaxyproject.org/gallardoalba/32/1903_2.png) [@gallardoalba](https://help.galaxyproject.org/u/gallardoalba)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 1:31am UTC](https://help.galaxyproject.org/t/how-to-combine-merge-fastq-files-answer-tool-concatenate-datasets-tail-to-head-cat/4871/2 "2020-11-19T01:31:24Z")

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Hi @HamidGaikani,  
you can use the **Concatenate datasets** tool.

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**Author:** ![HamidGaikani](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/help.galaxyproject.org/hamidgaikani/32/2099_2.png) [@HamidGaikani](https://help.galaxyproject.org/u/HamidGaikani)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 1:42am UTC](https://help.galaxyproject.org/t/how-to-combine-merge-fastq-files-answer-tool-concatenate-datasets-tail-to-head-cat/4871/3 "2020-11-19T01:42:44Z")

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Thanks Cristóbal  
Much appreciated!

Best