Can I use the file command on Android?
You really won't find it because it doesn't exist on Android system not even from a third party Busybox installer. But I achieved to find a solution to compile it so that I can use it on my android terminal. Here's the link http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1612760

Basically you just have to follow this,

Originally posted by samveen on XDA

After wandering around looking for an android build of the file command, I finally went ahead and compiled it myself.

The attached package contains the file binary (v5.11), the libmagic.so shared library, the associated magic files and the build specific files that I needed (over and above the source) to build it. The paths of the files are relative to '/'.

Refs:


source: file command website  
compiling: Native Vim on Android 


Note: Add the location of libmagic.so to LD_LIBRARY_PATH to get rid of the "CANNOT LINK EXECUTABLE" error. (I use /data/local/lib)

Code

 $ echo $ LD_LIBRARY_PATH /data/local/lib:/data/local/lib:/data/local/lib:/system/lib:/vendor/lib 
 $ file 

 Usage: - file  [-bchikLlNnprsvz0] [--apple]
                    [--mime-encoding] 
                    [--mime-type] [-e testname]
                    [-F separator] [-f namefile] 
                    [-m magicfiles] file ... 


  file -C [-m magicfiles]
  file [--help] 

  $ getprop | grep device [ro.cm.device]: [jordan] [ro.product.device]: [umts_jordan]


Download here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1022807&amp;d=1335294084