elinks

Start ELinks

$ elinks

$ <Ctrl c>

$ elinks -dump -dump-color-mode [1] [url]

elinks [options] [URL]

-anonymous
    Disable any outgoing references that can be used to track the user's path

-base
    Set URL for relative links (for viewing local files).

-config-dir
    Specify a different directory for configuration files.

-dump
    Dump the content of the specified URL to standard output. Useful for scripting.

-dump-charset
    Specify the character set for the dumped content.

-dump-width
    Specify the width of the dumped content.

-force-html
    Force the content to be interpreted as HTML.

-get-cache
    Get a specific file from the cache.

-session-name
    Session name that overrides session-default.

-no-connect
    Do not try to connect to existing session.

-help
    Display help message.

-long-help
    Display help message with list of internal options.

-version
    Display version information.


    The URL to open. Can be a web address, file path, etc.

Elinks is a text-based web browser, designed for speed and flexibility. It supports various protocols like HTTP, FTP, and even local file browsing.

Unlike graphical browsers, Elinks operates entirely within the terminal, making it ideal for low-bandwidth environments, remote servers, and users who prefer a keyboard-driven interface. It excels in situations where a graphical browser is impractical or unnecessary.

Elinks is highly configurable, allowing users to customize its appearance, keybindings, and behavior through configuration files. It also offers features such as tabs, bookmarks, and support for scripting, enhancing its versatility for diverse browsing needs. Though lacks Javascript support it provides a fast and secure browsing experience.

Elinks lacks full support for modern web technologies like JavaScript and CSS. This can result in a less visually rich and interactive browsing experience compared to graphical browsers.

Elinks is highly configurable through text-based configuration files. Users can modify keybindings, display settings, and network preferences to tailor the browser to their specific needs. The main configuration file is usually located in ~/.elinks/elinks.conf.

Elinks relies heavily on keyboard shortcuts for navigation and control. Common shortcuts include 'G' to go to a URL, '/' to search, and arrow keys for scrolling. Users can customize these keybindings through the configuration files.

Elinks originated as a fork of the Links web browser. It was developed to offer more features and flexibility, aiming to be a highly customizable and versatile text-based browser. Elinks has been actively maintained and improved over the years, adapting to evolving web standards while retaining its core principles of speed and efficiency. Its text based nature made it easy to install on environments with limited resources and reduced attack surface.

w3m(1), lynx(1), curl(1), wget(1)