Description: The ‘more’ command in the context of command-line interfaces is a fundamental tool for viewing text files in Unix-based and other operating systems. Its primary function is to allow users to view the contents of a file one screen at a time, facilitating navigation through lengthy documents without overwhelming the user with information. When executing the command, the file’s content is displayed in the terminal, and the user can advance through the text by pressing the space bar to move forward a full screen or the ‘Enter’ key to move line by line. This pagination approach is particularly useful for large files, where continuous reading could be uncomfortable. Additionally, ‘more’ allows for text searching within the file, enhancing efficiency in locating specific information. This command is part of a set of command-line utilities that are essential for file management and manipulation in programming and system administration environments, making it an indispensable tool for developers and system administrators working in terminal environments.
History: The ‘more’ command originated in early Unix operating systems in the 1970s. It was developed in response to users’ needs to efficiently view text files in the command line. As Unix evolved, so did its tools, and ‘more’ became a standard in many Unix and Linux distributions. Its simplicity and functionality have kept it relevant over the years, even with the emergence of more advanced tools.
Uses: The ‘more’ command is primarily used to view large text files that cannot be fully displayed on a single screen. It is especially useful in situations where one needs to review log files, documentation, or any type of lengthy text. Additionally, it can be used in shell scripts to display information in a controlled manner to the user.
Examples: A practical example of using ‘more’ would be executing the command ‘more file.txt’ in the terminal to view the contents of ‘file.txt’ one screen at a time. Another example would be using ‘dmesg | more’ to view kernel messages in a paginated manner.
