How to Use the Command 'glow' (with examples)

The ‘glow’ command is a versatile tool designed to render Markdown files directly in the terminal. This command-line utility allows users to view Markdown documents with ease, presenting them in a visually pleasant format without needing to leave the terminal environment. It supports a variety of use cases, including displaying Markdown files from local storage, URLs, or directly from GitHub or GitLab repositories. By providing a simple and efficient way to view README files or documentation, ‘glow’ streamlines the development and documentation process.

Use Case 1: Running ‘glow’ to Select and View a File

Code:

glow

Motivation:

Sometimes, you might not know which file you want to view when you start the ‘glow’ command. By executing ‘glow’ without any arguments, you can explore and select from your available Markdown files. This is particularly useful when working within a repository containing numerous documentation files. ‘glow’ will prompt you to choose from the list of Markdown files it detects, thus simplifying navigation.

Explanation:

The command is executed without any specific file path or URL argument. This triggers ‘glow’ to search for Markdown files in the current directory and presents them in an interactive menu for selection.

Example output:

Upon running the command, you might see:

? Select a Markdown file
  ▸ README.md
    CONTRIBUTING.md
    CHANGELOG.md
    docs/USAGE.md

Use Case 2: Rendering a Markdown File to the Terminal

Code:

glow path/to/file

Motivation:

This use case is ideal for developers or documentation writers who frequently need to view Markdown content directly in the terminal without the hassle of opening a separate editor or viewer. Rendering the Markdown file directly in the terminal can speed up the workflow and reduce context switching.

Explanation:

The argument ‘path/to/file’ is the relative or absolute path to the Markdown file you wish to render. This command directly processes the content of the specified file and displays it formatted within the terminal.

Example output:

Expected output for a typical README.md might look like:

# Project Title

A brief description of what this project does and who it's for.

## Installation

Clone the repo and run:

    git clone https://github.com/user/repo.git

Use Case 3: Viewing a Markdown File Using a Paginator

Code:

glow -p path/to/file

Motivation:

When dealing with lengthy Markdown files, a paginator can substantially enhance readability by allowing users to scroll through content page by page. This comes in handy for reading extensive documentation or logs where key information might be distributed across multiple sections.

Explanation:

Here, the ‘-p’ flag stands for ‘paginator.’ It instructs ‘glow’ to load the Markdown file using a built-in pagination system, which enables smooth navigation through the file’s content in sections or pages.

Example output:

Using a paginator might display the following segment of a Markdown document:

# Overview

Page 1 of 20

... (Text continues)

Users can then navigate through using standard pagination controls.

Use Case 4: Viewing a File from a URL

Code:

glow https://example.com/file.md

Motivation:

There are instances when a Markdown file is hosted online instead of being stored locally. This use case allows users to quickly fetch and view remotely hosted Markdown content without having to download the file. It’s particularly useful for accessing web-hosted documentation or collaborative notes.

Explanation:

By providing a URL as the argument, ‘glow’ fetches the file from the specified online location and renders it in the terminal. The URL should point directly to a Markdown file.

Example output:

# Welcome to Our Project

You can find the guidelines for contributors here.
...

(Further content follows)

Use Case 5: Viewing a GitHub/GitLab README

Code:

glow github.com/owner/repository

Motivation:

Viewing README files from GitHub or GitLab repositories within the terminal provides developers an efficient way to access project documentation directly from source control. This can be especially useful for quickly checking out project details or setup instructions.

Explanation:

The command concatenates the provided repository URL with an assumption that the source is either from GitHub or GitLab. It automatically fetches the README file from the root of the specified repository and renders it on the terminal. ‘owner’ and ‘repository’ need to be replaced with the respective username and repository name.

Example output:

Here’s what you might expect when accessing a repository README:

# AwesomeProject

AwesomeProject is an open-source tool that simplifies your workflow...

## Getting Started

To get a local copy up and running, follow these steps...

Conclusion:

The ‘glow’ command serves as a nifty tool for rendering Markdown files directly in the terminal, facilitating uninterrupted workflows for developers and documentation specialists. By leveraging its different capabilities—from selecting files interactively to fetching and displaying content from URLs or Git repositories—it significantly enhances the accessibility and readability of Markdown text in varied environments.