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

The “man” command is used to format and display manual pages in Linux. Manual pages provide detailed documentation about commands, library functions, system calls, file formats, and more. The “man” command is essential for finding information and instructions about a specific command or topic in Linux.

Use case 1: Display the man page for a command

Code:

man command

Motivation: When you want to learn more about a specific command and understand how to use it, you can use the “man” command to display its manual page. This can be helpful for both beginners and experienced users who need a quick reference.

Explanation: Replace “command” in the code with the name of the command you want to display the man page for. The “man” command will find and display the manual page related to that command.

Example output: If you run “man ls”, the “man” command will display the manual page for the “ls” command, which provides information about its usage, options, and examples.

Use case 2: Display the man page for a command from section 7

Code:

man 7 command

Motivation: Sometimes, a command may have multiple manual pages in different sections. If you specifically want to see the manual page from a particular section, you can use this command. For example, section 7 of the manual pages contains various miscellaneous information.

Explanation: Replace “command” in the code with the name of the command you want to display the man page for. The number “7” after “man” specifies the section. Each section in the manual pages has a specific category of information.

Example output: Running “man 7 regex” will display the manual page for regular expressions from section 7, which covers various aspects of regular expressions in Linux.

Use case 3: List all available sections for a command

Code:

man -f command

Motivation: When you are unsure about the section in which a particular command’s manual page is located, you can use this command to list all available sections for that command. This helps in finding the appropriate section to view the manual page.

Explanation: Replace “command” in the code with the name of the command you want to list the available sections for. The “-f” option tells the “man” command to show the available sections related to the command.

Example output: If you run “man -f date”, the “man” command will display a list of available sections related to the “date” command, such as “1” for user commands and “3” for library functions.

Use case 4: Display the path searched for manpages

Code:

man --path

Motivation: Sometimes, you may want to know where the “man” command searches for manual pages. This command provides you with the path information, which can be useful when troubleshooting issues related to missing or incorrect manual pages.

Explanation: The “–path” option tells the “man” command to display the path that it searches for finding and displaying manual pages.

Example output: Running “man –path” will display the paths where the “man” command searches for manual pages, such as “/usr/share/man” and “/usr/local/share/man”.

Use case 5: Display the location of a manpage rather than the manpage itself

Code:

man -w command

Motivation: If you are interested in knowing the location of the manual page for a command without displaying the entire content, you can use this command. It is handy when you need to refer to the manual page’s location for further investigation or other purposes.

Explanation: Replace “command” in the code with the name of the command you want to find the location for. The “-w” option instructs the “man” command to display the location of the manual page rather than displaying the page itself.

Example output: Running “man -w cp” will display the location of the manual page for the “cp” command, such as “/usr/share/man/man1/cp.1.gz”.

Use case 6: Display the man page using a specific locale

Code:

man command --locale=locale

Motivation: In some cases, you might want to view the man page in a specific language or locale. By using this command, you can display the man page using a locale of your choice.

Explanation: Replace “command” in the code with the name of the command you want to display the man page for. Replace “locale” with the specific language or locale code you want to use.

Example output: Running “man cp –locale=fr_FR” will display the man page for the “cp” command in French.

Use case 7: Search for manpages containing a search string

Code:

man -k "search_string"

Motivation: When you want to search for manpages related to a specific topic or keyword, you can use this command to perform a keyword search. It helps you find relevant manpages without having to remember the exact command names.

Explanation: Replace “search_string” in the code with the keyword or search term you want to search for in the manual pages. The “-k” option tells the “man” command to perform a keyword search and list the manpages containing the search string.

Example output: If you run “man -k partition”, the “man” command will display a list of manpages that contain the keyword “partition,” such as “fdisk” and “parted.”

Conclusion:

The “man” command is a powerful tool for accessing and reading manual pages in Linux. It provides a convenient way to get detailed information about various commands and topics. By mastering the different use cases of the “man” command, you can quickly find the documentation you need and enhance your understanding of the Linux system.