What's difference between "2>1 > /dev/null" and "2>&1 >/dev/null"?

Question

I would like to know what the & means in the statement:

2>&1 > /dev/null

It's redirecting standard error to standard output and then to Bitbucket, but what's & in it?

Can I use it like the following?

2>1 >/dev/null

Answer 1

The & means file descriptor¹. So 2>&1 redirects standard error to whatever standard output currently points at, while 2>1 redirects standard error into a file called 1.

Also, the redirects happen in order. So if you say 2>&1 >/dev/null, it redirects standard error to point at what standard output currently points at (which is probably a noop), then redirects stdout to /dev/null. You probably want >/dev/null 2>&1.

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¹_{In the context of a file redirect -- when it is the next token immediately after a > or <. In other contexts it means something else.}