diff --git a/src/shell/commands/head.rs b/src/shell/commands/head.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aa76cfc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shell/commands/head.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,313 @@
+// Copyright 2018-2023 the Deno authors. All rights reserved. MIT license.
+
+use std::fs::File;
+use std::io::Read;
+
+use anyhow::bail;
+use anyhow::Result;
+use futures::future::LocalBoxFuture;
+use tokio_util::sync::CancellationToken;
+
+use crate::ExecuteResult;
+use crate::ShellCommand;
+use crate::ShellCommandContext;
+use crate::ShellPipeWriter;
+
+use super::args::parse_arg_kinds;
+use super::args::ArgKind;
+
+pub struct HeadCommand;
+
+impl ShellCommand for HeadCommand {
+  fn execute(
+    &self,
+    context: ShellCommandContext,
+  ) -> LocalBoxFuture<'static, ExecuteResult> {
+    let mut stderr = context.stderr.clone();
+    let result = match execute_head(context) {
+      Ok(result) => result,
+      Err(err) => {
+        let _ = stderr.write_line(&format!("head: {err}"));
+        ExecuteResult::from_exit_code(1)
+      }
+    };
+    Box::pin(futures::future::ready(result))
+  }
+}
+
+fn copy_lines<F: FnMut(&mut [u8]) -> Result<usize>>(
+  writer: &mut ShellPipeWriter,
+  max_lines: u64,
+  cancellation_token: &CancellationToken,
+  mut read: F,
+  buffer_size: usize,
+) -> Result<ExecuteResult> {
+  let mut written_lines = 0;
+  let mut buffer = vec![0; buffer_size];
+  while written_lines < max_lines {
+    if cancellation_token.is_cancelled() {
+      return Ok(ExecuteResult::for_cancellation());
+    }
+    let read_bytes = read(&mut buffer)?;
+    if read_bytes == 0 {
+      break;
+    }
+
+    if cancellation_token.is_cancelled() {
+      return Ok(ExecuteResult::for_cancellation());
+    }
+
+    let mut written_bytes: usize = 0;
+    let split_lines = buffer[..read_bytes].split(|&b| b == b'\n');
+    for line in split_lines {
+      if written_lines >= max_lines
+        || (written_bytes + line.len()) >= read_bytes
+      {
+        break;
+      }
+      writer.write_all(line)?;
+      writer.write_all(b"\n")?;
+      written_bytes += line.len() + 1;
+      written_lines += 1;
+    }
+
+    if written_lines < max_lines && written_bytes < read_bytes {
+      writer.write_all(&buffer[written_bytes..read_bytes])?;
+    }
+  }
+
+  Ok(ExecuteResult::from_exit_code(0))
+}
+
+fn execute_head(mut context: ShellCommandContext) -> Result<ExecuteResult> {
+  let flags = parse_args(context.args)?;
+  if flags.path == "-" {
+    copy_lines(
+      &mut context.stdout,
+      flags.lines,
+      context.state.token(),
+      |buf| context.stdin.read(buf),
+      512,
+    )
+  } else {
+    let path = flags.path;
+    match File::open(context.state.cwd().join(&path)) {
+      Ok(mut file) => copy_lines(
+        &mut context.stdout,
+        flags.lines,
+        context.state.token(),
+        |buf| file.read(buf).map_err(Into::into),
+        512,
+      ),
+      Err(err) => {
+        context.stderr.write_line(&format!("head: {path}: {err}"))?;
+        Ok(ExecuteResult::from_exit_code(1))
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq)]
+struct HeadFlags {
+  path: String,
+  lines: u64,
+}
+
+fn parse_args(args: Vec<String>) -> Result<HeadFlags> {
+  let mut path: Option<String> = None;
+  let mut lines: Option<u64> = None;
+  let mut iterator = parse_arg_kinds(&args).into_iter();
+  while let Some(arg) = iterator.next() {
+    match arg {
+      ArgKind::Arg(file_name) => {
+        if path.is_none() {
+          path = Some(file_name.to_string());
+          continue;
+        }
+
+        // for now, we only support one file
+        // TODO: support multiple files
+        bail!("only one file is supported for now");
+      }
+      ArgKind::ShortFlag('n') => match iterator.next() {
+        Some(ArgKind::Arg(arg)) => {
+          lines = Some(arg.parse::<u64>()?);
+        }
+        _ => bail!("expected a value following -n"),
+      },
+      ArgKind::LongFlag(flag) => {
+        if flag == "lines" || flag == "lines=" {
+          bail!("expected a value for --lines");
+        } else if let Some(arg) = flag.strip_prefix("lines=") {
+          lines = Some(arg.parse::<u64>()?);
+        } else {
+          arg.bail_unsupported()?
+        }
+      }
+      _ => arg.bail_unsupported()?,
+    }
+  }
+
+  Ok(HeadFlags {
+    path: path.unwrap_or("-".to_string()),
+    lines: lines.unwrap_or(10),
+  })
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+  use crate::pipe;
+  use std::cmp::min;
+
+  use super::*;
+  use pretty_assertions::assert_eq;
+
+  async fn copies_lines(
+    // #[case]
+    buffer_size: usize,
+  ) {
+    let (reader, mut writer) = pipe();
+    let reader_handle = reader.pipe_to_string_handle();
+    let data = b"foo\nbar\nbaz\nqux\n";
+    let data_length = data.len();
+    let mut offset = 0;
+    let result = copy_lines(
+      &mut writer,
+      2,
+      &CancellationToken::new(),
+      |buffer| {
+        if offset >= data.len() {
+          return Ok(0);
+        }
+        let buffer_length = buffer.len();
+        let read_length = min(buffer_length, data_length);
+        buffer[..read_length]
+          .copy_from_slice(&data[offset..(offset + read_length)]);
+        offset += read_length;
+        Ok(read_length)
+      },
+      buffer_size,
+    );
+    drop(writer); // Drop the writer ahead of the reader to prevent a deadlock.
+    assert_eq!(reader_handle.await.unwrap(), "foo\nbar\n");
+    assert_eq!(result.unwrap().into_exit_code_and_handles().0, 0);
+  }
+
+  #[tokio::test]
+  async fn copies_lines_with_shorter_buffer_size() {
+    copies_lines(2).await;
+  }
+
+  #[tokio::test]
+  async fn copies_lines_with_buffer_size_to_match_each_line_length() {
+    copies_lines(4).await;
+  }
+
+  #[tokio::test]
+  async fn copies_lines_with_buffer_of_one_and_half_times_of_each_line_length()
+  {
+    copies_lines(6).await;
+  }
+
+  #[tokio::test]
+  async fn copies_lines_with_long_buffer_size() {
+    copies_lines(512).await;
+  }
+
+  #[test]
+  fn parses_args() {
+    assert_eq!(
+      parse_args(vec![]).unwrap(),
+      HeadFlags {
+        path: "-".to_string(),
+        lines: 10
+      }
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+      parse_args(vec!["-n".to_string(), "5".to_string()]).unwrap(),
+      HeadFlags {
+        path: "-".to_string(),
+        lines: 5
+      }
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+      parse_args(vec!["--lines=5".to_string()]).unwrap(),
+      HeadFlags {
+        path: "-".to_string(),
+        lines: 5
+      }
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+      parse_args(vec!["path".to_string()]).unwrap(),
+      HeadFlags {
+        path: "path".to_string(),
+        lines: 10
+      }
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+      parse_args(vec!["-n".to_string(), "5".to_string(), "path".to_string()])
+        .unwrap(),
+      HeadFlags {
+        path: "path".to_string(),
+        lines: 5
+      }
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+      parse_args(vec!["--lines=5".to_string(), "path".to_string()]).unwrap(),
+      HeadFlags {
+        path: "path".to_string(),
+        lines: 5
+      }
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+      parse_args(vec!["path".to_string(), "-n".to_string(), "5".to_string()])
+        .unwrap(),
+      HeadFlags {
+        path: "path".to_string(),
+        lines: 5
+      }
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+      parse_args(vec!["path".to_string(), "--lines=5".to_string()]).unwrap(),
+      HeadFlags {
+        path: "path".to_string(),
+        lines: 5
+      }
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+      parse_args(vec!["-n".to_string()])
+        .err()
+        .unwrap()
+        .to_string(),
+      "expected a value following -n"
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+      parse_args(vec!["--lines".to_string()])
+        .err()
+        .unwrap()
+        .to_string(),
+      "expected a value for --lines"
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+      parse_args(vec!["--lines=".to_string()])
+        .err()
+        .unwrap()
+        .to_string(),
+      "expected a value for --lines"
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+      parse_args(vec!["--flag".to_string()])
+        .err()
+        .unwrap()
+        .to_string(),
+      "unsupported flag: --flag"
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+      parse_args(vec!["-t".to_string()])
+        .err()
+        .unwrap()
+        .to_string(),
+      "unsupported flag: -t"
+    );
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/shell/commands/mod.rs b/src/shell/commands/mod.rs
index e394fc2..a37539e 100644
--- a/src/shell/commands/mod.rs
+++ b/src/shell/commands/mod.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ mod echo;
 mod executable;
 mod exit;
 mod export;
+mod head;
 mod mkdir;
 mod pwd;
 mod rm;
@@ -54,6 +55,10 @@ pub fn builtin_commands() -> HashMap<String, Rc<dyn ShellCommand>> {
       "export".to_string(),
       Rc::new(export::ExportCommand) as Rc<dyn ShellCommand>,
     ),
+    (
+      "head".to_string(),
+      Rc::new(head::HeadCommand) as Rc<dyn ShellCommand>,
+    ),
     (
       "mkdir".to_string(),
       Rc::new(mkdir::MkdirCommand) as Rc<dyn ShellCommand>,
diff --git a/src/shell/test.rs b/src/shell/test.rs
index 98e3e26..a6609d3 100644
--- a/src/shell/test.rs
+++ b/src/shell/test.rs
@@ -660,6 +660,99 @@ async fn cat() {
     .await;
 }
 
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn head() {
+  // no args
+  TestBuilder::new()
+    .command("head")
+    .stdin(
+      "foo\nbar\nbaz\nqux\nquuux\ncorge\ngrault\ngarply\nwaldo\nfred\nplugh\n",
+    )
+    .assert_stdout(
+      "foo\nbar\nbaz\nqux\nquuux\ncorge\ngrault\ngarply\nwaldo\nfred\n",
+    )
+    .run()
+    .await;
+
+  // dash
+  TestBuilder::new()
+    .command("head -")
+    .stdin(
+      "foo\nbar\nbaz\nqux\nquuux\ncorge\ngrault\ngarply\nwaldo\nfred\nplugh\n",
+    )
+    .assert_stdout(
+      "foo\nbar\nbaz\nqux\nquuux\ncorge\ngrault\ngarply\nwaldo\nfred\n",
+    )
+    .run()
+    .await;
+
+  // file
+  TestBuilder::new()
+    .command("head file")
+    .file(
+      "file",
+      "foo\nbar\nbaz\nqux\nquuux\ncorge\ngrault\ngarply\nwaldo\nfred\nplugh\n",
+    )
+    .assert_stdout(
+      "foo\nbar\nbaz\nqux\nquuux\ncorge\ngrault\ngarply\nwaldo\nfred\n",
+    )
+    .run()
+    .await;
+
+  // dash + longer than internal buffer (512)
+  TestBuilder::new()
+    .command("head -")
+    .stdin(
+      "foo\nbar\nbaz\nqux\nquuux\ncorge\ngrault\ngarply\nwaldo\nfred\nplugh\n"
+        .repeat(10)
+        .as_str(),
+    )
+    .assert_stdout(
+      "foo\nbar\nbaz\nqux\nquuux\ncorge\ngrault\ngarply\nwaldo\nfred\n",
+    )
+    .run()
+    .await;
+
+  // file + longer than internal buffer (512)
+  TestBuilder::new()
+    .command("head file")
+    .file(
+      "file",
+      "foo\nbar\nbaz\nqux\nquuux\ncorge\ngrault\ngarply\nwaldo\nfred\nplugh\n"
+        .repeat(1024)
+        .as_str(),
+    )
+    .assert_stdout(
+      "foo\nbar\nbaz\nqux\nquuux\ncorge\ngrault\ngarply\nwaldo\nfred\n",
+    )
+    .run()
+    .await;
+
+  // shorter than 10 lines
+  TestBuilder::new()
+    .command("head")
+    .stdin("foo\nbar")
+    .assert_stdout("foo\nbar")
+    .run()
+    .await;
+
+  // -n
+  TestBuilder::new()
+    .command("head -n 2")
+    .stdin("foo\nbar\nbaz\nqux\nquuux")
+    .assert_stdout("foo\nbar\n")
+    .run()
+    .await;
+
+  // --lines
+  TestBuilder::new()
+    .command("head --lines=3")
+    .stdin("foo\nbar\nbaz\nqux\nquuux")
+    .assert_stdout("foo\nbar\nbaz\n")
+    .run()
+    .await;
+}
+
 // Basic integration tests as there are unit tests in the commands
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn mv() {
diff --git a/src/shell/types.rs b/src/shell/types.rs
index 5ae6f74..deff007 100644
--- a/src/shell/types.rs
+++ b/src/shell/types.rs
@@ -272,6 +272,10 @@ impl ShellPipeReader {
       String::from_utf8_lossy(&buf).to_string()
     })
   }
+
+  pub fn read(&mut self, buf: &mut [u8]) -> Result<usize> {
+    self.0.read(buf).map_err(|e| e.into())
+  }
 }
 
 /// Writer side of a pipe.