# less — Browse Files in the Terminal with the Pager > Practical guide to less — page through, search and live-follow files and logs in the terminal with the standard Unix pager. Source: https://www.jpkc.com/db/en/cheatsheets/files-text/less/ less is the standard pager on Unix and Linux: it shows file contents one screen at a time without loading the whole file into memory, and lets you scroll forward and backward, search and filter. Unlike `cat`, less loads on demand – ideal for huge log files, long output or reading over a pipe. It is also the default pager for `man` pages and `git diff`, so you meet it constantly even without invoking it directly. Because less only reads and never modifies anything, it is harmless; this guide walks you through the key bindings and options that let you move around quickly and precisely. ## Opening Files `less ` — Open a file for browsing. ```bash less /var/log/syslog ``` `less ` — Open multiple files. Navigate between them with :n and :p. ```bash less error.log access.log ``` ` | less` — Pipe command output into less for browsing. ```bash journalctl | less ``` `less -N ` — Show line numbers in the left margin. ```bash less -N script.py ``` `less -S ` — Chop long lines instead of wrapping. Scroll horizontally with arrow keys. ```bash less -S wide-table.csv ``` `less -R ` — Show ANSI color codes (raw control characters). Essential for colored output. ```bash git diff --color=always | less -R ``` `less +F ` — Open in follow mode (like tail -f). Press Ctrl+C to stop, Shift+F to resume. ```bash less +F /var/log/syslog ``` `less +G ` — Open and immediately jump to the end of the file. ```bash less +G /var/log/app.log ``` ## Navigation `Space / f` — Scroll forward one screen (page down). ```bash Space or f ``` `b` — Scroll backward one screen (page up). ```bash b ``` `d` — Scroll forward half a screen. ```bash d ``` `u` — Scroll backward half a screen. ```bash u ``` `j / Down / Enter` — Scroll forward one line. ```bash j or Enter ``` `k / Up` — Scroll backward one line. ```bash k or Up arrow ``` `g` — Jump to the beginning of the file. ```bash g ``` `G` — Jump to the end of the file. ```bash G ``` `g` — Jump to a specific line number. ```bash 100g (jump to line 100) ``` `%` — Jump to a percentage position in the file. ```bash 50% (jump to the middle) ``` `Right / Left` — Scroll horizontally when long lines are chopped (-S mode). ```bash Right or Left arrow ``` ## Searching `/` — Search forward for a pattern (regex supported). ```bash /ERROR ``` `?` — Search backward for a pattern. ```bash ?WARNING ``` `n` — Jump to the next search match. ```bash n ``` `N` — Jump to the previous search match. ```bash N ``` `&` — Show only lines matching a pattern (like grep within less). ```bash &ERROR ``` `&!` — Show only lines NOT matching a pattern (inverse filter). ```bash &!DEBUG ``` `&` — Clear the filter and show all lines again. ```bash & (then Enter) ``` `/ with -i` — Case-insensitive search. Toggle with -i while inside less. ```bash -i then /error ``` `Esc-u` — Toggle search highlight on/off. ```bash Esc then u ``` ## Marks & Bookmarks `m` — Set a mark (bookmark) at the current position. Use any lowercase letter. ```bash ma (set mark 'a') ``` `'` — Jump to a previously set mark. ```bash 'a (jump to mark 'a') ``` `''` — Jump back to the previous position (before the last jump). ```bash '' ``` ## Multiple Files `:n` — Open the next file when viewing multiple files. ```bash :n ``` `:p` — Open the previous file. ```bash :p ``` `:e ` — Open a new file without leaving less. ```bash :e /var/log/error.log ``` `:x` — Show the list of currently opened files. ```bash :x ``` ## Display Options (Toggle at Runtime) `-N` — Toggle line numbers on/off while viewing. ```bash -N (then Enter) ``` `-S` — Toggle line wrapping/chopping while viewing. ```bash -S (then Enter) ``` `-i` — Toggle case-insensitive search. ```bash -i (then Enter) ``` `-I` — Toggle case-insensitive search and pattern matching. ```bash -I (then Enter) ``` `-w` — Toggle highlighting of the first new line after a forward scroll. ```bash -w (then Enter) ``` `=` — Show file information: filename, line numbers, byte position, percentage. ```bash = ``` `v` — Open the current file in the default editor ($VISUAL or $EDITOR). ```bash v ``` ## Follow Mode `F` — Enter follow mode (like tail -f). Waits for new data appended to the file. ```bash F (while viewing a log file) ``` `Ctrl+C` — Exit follow mode and return to normal navigation. ```bash Ctrl+C (while in follow mode) ``` `less +F ` — Open directly in follow mode from the command line. ```bash less +F /var/log/syslog ``` ## Startup Options `less -N ` — Show line numbers from the start. ```bash less -N config.py ``` `less -S ` — Chop long lines from the start (no wrapping). ```bash less -S data.csv ``` `less -R ` — Interpret ANSI color escape sequences. ```bash git log --color=always | less -R ``` `less -X ` — Don't clear the screen when exiting. Output remains visible in terminal. ```bash less -X notes.txt ``` `less -F ` — Quit immediately if the entire file fits on one screen. ```bash less -F short-file.txt ``` `less -RFXN ` — Common combination: color support, auto-quit for short files, keep output, line numbers. ```bash less -RFXN script.py ``` `less -p '' ` — Open the file and jump to the first occurrence of a pattern. ```bash less -p 'function main' app.py ``` `less +/ ` — Alternative syntax to open with a search pattern. ```bash less +/ERROR /var/log/syslog ``` ## Environment & Configuration `export LESS='-RFX'` — Set default less options via the LESS environment variable. ```bash export LESS='-RFX' # in ~/.bashrc ``` `export LESSOPEN='| highlight -O ansi %s'` — Configure an input preprocessor for syntax highlighting. ```bash export LESSOPEN='| highlight -O ansi %s 2>/dev/null' ``` `export PAGER=less` — Set less as the default pager for man, git, and other tools. ```bash export PAGER=less # in ~/.bashrc ``` ## Exiting & Help `q` — Quit less. ```bash q ``` `Q` — Quit less immediately (same as q, but guaranteed even in follow mode). ```bash Q ``` `h` — Show the built-in help screen with all key bindings. ```bash h ``` ## Conclusion less is the go-to tool for reading files and long output without changing them: you scroll forward and backward, jump to specific lines, search with regular expressions and filter the display – all memory-friendly, because less only loads on demand. Especially handy for logs is follow mode `+F` (like `tail -f`), which you pause with Ctrl+C and resume with Shift+F. For everyday use it is worth setting `less -RFX` as the default (for example via the `LESS` environment variable) so that colours render correctly and short files don't needlessly page away the output. Press `q` to leave the pager, and `h` to bring up the full key reference at any time. ## Further Reading - [less(1) manual page](https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/less.1.html) – the complete official reference for all options and key bindings - [GNU less home page](https://www.greenwoodsoftware.com/less/) – the project home page with downloads and release notes ## Related Commands - [vim](https://www.jpkc.com/db/en/cheatsheets/files-text/vim/) – the editor you switch to from less by pressing v - [nano](https://www.jpkc.com/db/en/cheatsheets/files-text/nano/) – simple editor for editing the file you are reading - [tail](https://www.jpkc.com/db/en/cheatsheets/files-text/tail/) – shows the end of files and follows logs with -f