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Linux is a powerful and flexible operating system that offers a wide range of tools designed to make working with files and text easier. One of the features that make Linux such a versatile platform is its ability to handle file management tasks efficiently. Among these tools is “less,” an essential command for any Linux user who needs to view and analyze text files quickly and without complications.
The “less” command stands out for its ability to allow users to view the contents of a text file without needing to open it in a full text editor, such as Vim or Nano. This is especially useful when only a quick view of the file is required, without the intention of editing it. “Less” not only displays the contents, but also provides a number of advanced features that make navigation within the file easier, such as the ability to search for keywords, quickly scroll through text, and handle large files efficiently.
Less and More Commands in Linux
“More“. This command is worth mentioning because it is a simple text viewer that allows you to view files frame by frame. You can view the file by pressing the Spacebar to move to the next frame or the Enter key to move to the next line of text. “More” does not support scrolling up.
In turn, the “less” command provides more functionality. This viewer supports both downward and upward scrolling, making it more flexible. You can use the arrow keys, Page Up and Page Down to navigate through the file. “Less” also supports searching and page-by-page display of the percentage of data read.
Additional Less Command Options
Below are several examples of how less works and a description of the functionality with additional commands.
| Command’s Syntax | A Short Description |
| -p pattern | Start from the very beginning/first appearance of the template specified in the file |
| -с | A function to compress consecutive empty strings into a single string. |
| -n | Suppress line numbers. |
| -g | A special option to highlight the string that was found by the last search command. |
| -F | Terminate the program if the whole document can fit on the initial display. |
| -G | Disable the highlighting of search results. |
| -i | Disregard letter case when conducting searches. |
This article introduced the definition of the “less” command, which provides users with an efficient way to read large text files by loading and displaying them in stages. It should also be noted that by using the “less” command in combination with pipelines, users can immediately view the results of other commands, which adds to its functionality. In general, “less” is a valuable tool for managing and analyzing the contents of text files in a Linux environment.
