How to Use the Command 'zstdless' (with Examples)

The zstdless command is a powerful utility for anyone dealing with zstd compressed files. It essentially combines the functionality of zstd, a compression tool, and less, an interactive reading program, to enable users to view the contents of compressed files without needing to first decompress them fully. This tool is incredibly useful for quickly examining the contents of large compressed files without using additional disk space from decompression.

Use case: Open a zstd Compressed File

Code:

zstdless path/to/file.zst

Motivation:

The primary advantage of using zstdless is to facilitate a streamlined process for examining the contents of a zstd compressed file. For instance, if you receive a large dataset compressed in the .zst format, you’ll want to efficiently inspect the data without fully decompressing it. Using zstdless, you can immediately begin browsing the file, making it perfect for situations where you need to quickly check a log, a configuration, or any other type of text file within a compressed archive.

Explanation:

• zstdless: This is the command invoking the utility to view compressed files interactively. It leverages the decompression capabilities of zstd and the viewing ability of less, allowing users to scroll through and search within the compressed content effortlessly.
• path/to/file.zst: This argument specifies the file path to the .zst compressed file that you intend to open. The file path can be absolute or relative, and it points directly to your compressed archive that needs inspection.

Example Output:

When you execute this command, you’ll open the file within an interface that looks much like less. You can scroll up and down or search through the text, much like you would in a standard text file:

# Example lines from the compressed file opened in zstdless
Item 1: Description and details of item 1
Item 2: Description and details of item 2
# More text...

You can navigate through the file using keyboard shortcuts similar to those in less (e.g., arrow keys for up/down, g to go to the top, G to go to the bottom, / to search).

Conclusion:

The zstdless command is a beneficial tool for anyone who needs to work with zstd compressed files. By merging the utility of zstd and less, it allows for efficient navigation and inspection of file contents without the need for full decompression. This saves time and system resources, making it an excellent choice for system administrators, data scientists, and developers who frequently work with compressed data.