bar

Copy a file with a progress bar

$ bar [input_file] > [output_file]

$ cat [large_file] | bar > [output_file]

$ bar -s [1000000000] [input_file] > [output_file]

$ bar -bs [1M] [input_file] > [output_file]

$ bar -eta [input_file] > [output_file]

bar [options] [file]

bar (or pv alternative) is a simple utility that displays a progress bar while copying data through a pipe. It reads from standard input or a file and writes to standard output, showing transfer progress, speed, and optionally ETA.
The tool is useful for monitoring long-running data transfers, such as disk imaging, large file copies, or data streaming operations where visual feedback is desired. When reading from a file, it can automatically determine the total size for accurate percentage display.
For piped input where size is unknown, the -s option allows specifying expected size manually. Without size information, it displays bytes transferred and transfer rate without percentage.

-s, --size bytes

Expected data size for accurate percentage display.

Block size for I/O operations (e.g., 1K, 1M).

Display estimated time of arrival.

Display throughput (transfer rate).

Set a custom title for the progress bar.

Set the width of the progress display.

Display a dial indicator instead of progress bar.

Add newline after completion.

The bar command name conflicts with various system utilities on different distributions. The more widely available pv (pipe viewer) provides similar functionality with broader adoption. Progress percentage requires knowing total size in advance. Performance impact is minimal but measurable on very high-speed transfers.

Various "bar" utilities have existed in Unix ecosystems for displaying transfer progress. The concept predates graphical interfaces, providing feedback for operations that would otherwise run silently. pv (pipe viewer) by Andrew Wood became the de facto standard for this purpose, first released in 2002, though simpler implementations under various names continue to exist.

pv(1), dd(1), rsync(1), progress(1)