less and more

Lesson in the Shell / Bash Roadmap · Stage 11: Text Editors

Last updated 14 September 2026

What is less and more?

less and more are command-line utilities used to view the contents of text files, one screen at a time. They allow users to navigate through the file, search for specific patterns, and perform other basic text manipulation tasks directly from the terminal. less is generally preferred over more because it offers more features, including the ability to scroll backwards.

Study this in the interactive course See the whole Shell / Bash roadmap

Free resources to learn less and more

ArticleMore Command
ArticleLess Command in Linux
VideoHow to Use Unix MORE Command
VideoLinux Command Line Tutorial For Beginners 10 - less command

less and more: common questions

Can I learn less and more in Hindi?

This lesson is written in English. Once you sign in, open it in the interactive course and ask the AI tutor to explain less and more in Hindi or Hinglish. The tutor answers from this lesson’s own text, so it stays on the syllabus, and it runs on your own Google, OpenAI or Anthropic key.

Is this less and more tutorial for beginners?

It is lesson 44 of 166 in the free Shell / Bash roadmap, in stage 11, Text Editors. If you are new to Shell / Bash, start from stage 1 and come back here in order; if you already know the earlier stages, this lesson stands on its own.