zless

Zless is a command line tool that allows users to view compressed files without decompressing them. It is an extension of the "less" command, specifically designed to handle gzip and bzip2 compressed files.

Using zless, users can navigate through the contents of compressed files just like they would with regular text files. They can scroll up and down, search for specific terms, and even jump to specific lines within the file.

One of the key advantages of zless is its ability to handle large compressed files efficiently. It reads the compressed file on the fly, decompresses only the necessary data, and displays it in the terminal.

To use zless, users simply provide the name of the compressed file as an argument. They can utilize various keyboard shortcuts to perform actions such as searching, scrolling, and quitting. Zless also supports command line options to customize its behavior, such as setting the compression type or changing the default pager.

The utility also supports syntax highlighting, allowing users to view compressed files with enhanced readability. It automatically detects the file type, such as text or code, and applies the appropriate syntax highlighting rules.

Zless is a versatile tool that can be used for viewing compressed log files, archives, and other compressed data sources. It is commonly included in Unix-like operating systems, providing a convenient way to inspect compressed files without the need for extracting them.