info
Display program documentation and manuals
TLDR
Start reading top-level directory menu
Start reading at given menu item node from top-level directory
Start reading at second menu item within first menu item manual
SYNOPSIS
info [OPTION]... [MENU-ENTRY]...
PARAMETERS
--apropos=STRING
Find commands by looking up STRING in the descriptions of commands' documentation.
--directory
Instead of reading entry, read the directory.
--dribble
Store all keystrokes to file.
--file=FILE
Display Info file FILE instead of the default.
--help
Display help and exit.
--info-dir=DIR
Look in DIR for Info files.
--output=FILE
Send output to FILE.
--submenus
Follow all menu entries in the top-level dir menu.
--version
Display version information and exit.
DESCRIPTION
The `info` command is a powerful text-based documentation browser on Linux and other Unix-like systems. It allows users to navigate and read documentation that is formatted in the GNU Info format, which is a hypertext-based system. Unlike `man` pages, Info pages are structured as a tree of nodes, making it easier to jump between related topics and delve deeper into specific subjects. The `info` command provides a user-friendly interface with commands for moving between nodes, searching for text, and accessing indexes. It is an invaluable tool for understanding complex software packages and system utilities. `info` reads compiled documentation and displays them on the terminal. It allows the user to move in the tree structure of a manual. It also allows the user to search for specific strings within the manual.
CAVEATS
The availability and content of Info pages vary depending on the software installed on the system. The Info format might be replaced by other formats over time.
KEY BINDINGS
The `info` command uses key bindings for navigation.
n: Move to the next node.
p: Move to the previous node.
u: Move to the upper node.
q: Quit the `info` command.
?: Open the help page.
HISTORY
The `info` command is part of the GNU project and was created to provide a more structured and navigable alternative to traditional `man` pages. It was designed to accompany GNU software and became a standard tool on GNU/Linux distributions. The first version was released in the mid-1980s.
SEE ALSO
man(1), pinfo(1)