more (File Perusal Filter)
more is a command-line utility used to view the contents of a text file one screen at a time. It is particularly useful for reading large files that would otherwise scroll off the terminal screen if viewed with the cat command.
1. Basic Usage
more [filename]
- It displays the first screen of the file and shows a percentage at the bottom indicating how much of the file has been read.
2. Interactive Controls
| Key | Function | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Space Bar | Next Page | Scrolls down one full screen. |
| Enter | Next Line | Scrolls down one line at a time. |
| b | Previous Page | Scrolls back up one full screen. |
| q | Quit | Exits the viewer and returns to the prompt. |
| /pattern | Search | Searches for a specific string or pattern in the file. |
| h | Help | Displays a list of all interactive commands. |
3. Practical Examples
① Reading a long system file
more /var/log/syslog
② Using with Pipes (|)
Pipe the output of any long command into more for easier reading:
ps aux | more
③ Starting at a specific line
To start reading the file from line 50:
more +50 application.log
4. [Tip] More or Less?
While more is a standard Unix tool, most modern Linux users prefer less. Ironically, less has more features than more, such as better backward navigation and faster loading for extremely large files.