less
less is a tool to view a text file one screen at a time. You can navigate through the file with j or RETURN, and backwards with k
$ less hello.txt
# displays hello.txt
q # to quit
Useful Options / Examples
Typing / within less allows you to forward search using regex
and ? allows you to backward search
pressing n goes to the next item
$ less hello.txt
........
........
........
..git...
.....git
:/git
# git will be highlighted
n
# the next git is highlighted
Options:
| Options | Description |
|---------|:----------------------------------------------------------:|
| -? | Displays help. |
| -I | Makes search case insensitive. |
| -M | More detailed prompt. |
| -S | Long lines are chopped, and can be seen by side scrolling. |
| -X | Contents of file remain on screen after exiting. |
Commands:
| Command | Description |
|-------------|:--------------------------------------------------------------------:|
| Space bar | Next Page |
| b | Previous Page |
| v | Edit Content |
| j | or ↵ Enter Next Line |
| k | Previous Line |
| F | Follow Mode (for logs). Interrupt to abort. |
| g or < | First Line |
| G or > | Last Line |
| <n>G | Line <n> |
| /<text> | Forward Search for <text>. Text is interpreted as a regex. |
| ?<text> | Backward Search like / |
| n | Next Search Match |
| N | Previous Search Match |
| Esc u | Turn off Match Highlighting (see -g command line option) |
| -<c> | Toggle option <c>, e.g., -i toggles option to match case in searches |
| m<c> | Set Mark <c> |
| '<c> | Go to Mark <c> |
| = or Ctrl+G | File information |
| :n | Next file |
| :p | Previous file |
| h | Help. This is presented with less, q to quit. |
| q | Quit |