lessread

lessread is a command-line utility designed to enhance the experience of reading text files on Unix-like operating systems. It functions as a pager, similar to `more` and `less`, but with a focus on providing a more user-friendly and customizable interface for browsing long files.

The primary goal of lessread is to make navigating and comprehending large text documents more efficient. It offers features that go beyond basic scrolling, such as improved search capabilities, syntax highlighting for various programming languages and file formats, and the ability to follow log files in real-time. Users can often configure the appearance and behavior of lessread, tailoring it to their specific needs and preferences, which can include custom key bindings and color schemes.

Compared to `less`, lessread typically aims for a more streamlined and potentially faster experience for certain tasks, although the exact feature set and performance can vary depending on the specific implementation or fork. Its development often stems from a desire to address perceived shortcomings in existing pagers, offering a modern alternative for developers, system administrators, and anyone who frequently works with text-based data. The utility is typically installed from source code or through package managers, and its usage involves piping the output of other commands or specifying a file directly.