How to use the command 'links' (with examples)

The links command is a powerful and efficient command-line web browser that enables users to navigate the internet directly from the terminal. Its text-based nature makes it lightweight and quick to run, and it’s particularly useful in environments where graphical user interfaces are not available or desired. Additionally, links supports various functions like enabling cookies, navigating through pages, and applying restrictions for anonymous browsing. Below, we will explore various use cases to demonstrate the versatility of the links command.

Use case 1: Visiting a Website

Code:

links https://example.com

Motivation: You might want to visit a website directly from your terminal to save system resources or when working on a remote server without a graphical user interface. Using links allows you to quickly access online resources without needing a web browser with a graphical interface.

Explanation:

• links: This invokes the links text-based web browser.
• https://example.com: This represents the URL of the website you want to visit. You can replace example.com with any valid web address to access that particular site.

Example Output: After running the command, you’ll see a text-based representation of the example.com homepage displayed within your terminal window. While the layout won’t be as visually appealing as in a traditional web browser, it will contain all the textual information present on the website.

Use case 2: Apply Restrictions for Anonymous Account

Code:

links -anonymous https://example.com

Motivation: This use case is particularly useful when privacy is a concern or when accessing the internet from a public or shared computer. Applying anonymous restrictions helps minimize personal data exposure by disabling certain features that might track user activity.

Explanation:

• -anonymous: This flag is used to apply restrictions that typically enhance the privacy level, such as disabling bookmarks and history files, to ensure that traces are not left on the system.
• https://example.com: This is the URL of the website you are visiting while utilizing the anonymous browsing mode.

Example Output: The outcome would be a view of the example.com site similar to the standard browsing experience, but with extra measures taken to ensure that your session remains private, ensuring no records are kept locally.

Use case 3: Enable Cookies

Code:

links -enable-cookies 1 https://example.com

Motivation: Enabling cookies is essential when accessing websites that require cookies for login or session management. Websites often rely on cookies to provide personalized experiences, and enabling them can be crucial when you need full interaction capabilities with a site.

Explanation:

• -enable-cookies: This flag is used to toggle the status of cookies within the browser session.
• 0|1: The value 1 enables cookies, while 0 would disable them. In this example, 1 is used to enable cookies.
• https://example.com: This is the URL of the website you will visit with cookies enabled.

Example Output: Once executed, you will have access to example.com with cookies enabled, allowing you to maintain session continuity and benefiting from any user-specific preferences provided by the website.

Use case 4: Navigate Forwards and Backwards through the Links on a Page

Motivation: When browsing complex web pages that contain numerous links, being able to quickly move between links helps improve the browsing speed and efficiency. This feature lets you navigate without having to move the mouse, which is often preferable or even necessary in a command-line environment.

Explanation:

• Up arrow key|Down arrow key: These keys let you move up and down through the selectable links on a web page. It works similarly to navigating through a list with a keyboard, moving the focus from one hyperlink to another.

Example Output: As you press these keys on a page, you’ll notice the highlighted selection moving from link to link, indicating which hyperlink is currently selected and ready to be activated if the Enter key is pressed.

Use case 5: Go Forwards and Backwards One Page

Motivation: While browsing multiple pages, efficient backward and forward navigation is key to a seamless browsing experience. This feature is useful when you need to revisit previously viewed pages or move through your browsing session’s history quickly.

Explanation:

• Left arrow key|Right arrow key: These keys allow you to quickly go back to the previous page or proceed to the next page, respectively. This is akin to using the back and forward buttons in traditional browsers.

Example Output: Upon using the left or right arrow keys, the terminal will display the previous or next page visited in your browsing session, allowing you to move through your browsing history hassle-free.

Use case 6: Exit

Code:

q + y

Motivation: Exiting a browsing session efficiently is important, especially in a command-line environment where tasks need to be executed quickly. Knowing how to properly exit ensures resources are freed, and you’re ready for the next command.

Explanation:

• q: This key command is used to quit the links browser.
• y: This follows the quit command, confirming that you indeed want to exit the session.

Example Output: Using this combination while on a page will trigger the links browser to close, terminating the current browsing session, and taking you back to the regular command-line prompt.

Conclusion:

The links command is a versatile tool for browsing the web in text mode from a terminal. It excels in environments where graphical browsers are either unavailable or not preferred. From visiting a website with privacy restrictions to enabling cookies for dynamic content interaction, links handles a variety of practical use cases efficiently. Understanding these commands and their functions empowers users to manage their web browsing environments flexibly and securely.