splain

splain [OPTIONS] [MESSAGE_OR_COMMAND ...]

--help
    Displays the help message and exits.

--version
    Prints the version information and exits.

--color / --no-color
    Enables or disables colored output for explanations, enhancing readability.

--search / --no-search
    Enables or disables searching for explanations on external online sources if the primary internal explanation is insufficient.

splain is a command-line utility designed to provide clearer explanations for often cryptic or obscure error messages encountered in the terminal. It aims to demystify output from various commands, making debugging easier for users, especially those new to Linux or specific programming environments. While particularly useful for Perl-related errors, it can interpret and explain a wide range of common system and application messages. It attempts to rephrase technical jargon into more understandable terms, sometimes offering potential solutions or next steps. It is part of the App::Splain Perl module and relies on an internal knowledge base as well as, optionally, external sources for explanations.

splain is not a built-in or universally available Linux command; it requires Perl and the App::Splain module to be installed separately. Its effectiveness depends on its internal knowledge base and the availability of relevant external sources, meaning it may not cover all possible error messages or commands. While generally helpful, explanations might sometimes be incomplete, less precise, or unavailable for highly specific, custom, or newly emerging scenarios.

Since splain is part of the App::Splain Perl module, it is typically installed using Perl's CPAN client. You may need to install cpanm first for easier installation.

Example (using cpanm):
sudo cpanm App::Splain

Example (using CPAN):
sudo cpan App::Splain

splain can take an error message as a direct argument or read from standard input.

Example 1: Explaining a Perl error
splain "Global symbol \"$foo\" requires explicit package name"

Example 2: Explaining a common shell error
splain "ls: cannot access 'nonexistent_file': No such file or directory"

Example 3: Piping an error message from dmesg
dmesg | grep -i "kernel panic" | splain

splain originated as a Perl module, App::Splain, created by David Golden. Its primary motivation was to address the common challenge of deciphering complex and often cryptic error messages, particularly those generated by Perl itself. It became a valuable tool for developers and users seeking clearer, human-readable explanations for common programming and system errors, making debugging more accessible. It is continuously maintained and updated through the CPAN ecosystem.

man(1), info(1)