wpm

Start wpm

$ wpm

$ wpm --short

$ wpm --load [path/to/file.txt]

$ wpm --tag [tag_name]

$ wpm --stats

$ wpm --monochrome

wpm [options] [text_source]

-t
    Sets the duration of the typing test in seconds.

-n
    Specifies the number of words or sentences to use for the test.

-f
    Uses the content of the specified file as the text for the typing test.

-s
    Displays only the final statistics (WPM, accuracy) without interactive typing.

-l
    Selects pre-defined text in a specific language (e.g., 'en', 'es').

-h, --help
    Shows the command's help message and exits.

-v, --version
    Displays version information about the wpm utility.

Note: wpm is not a standard, pre-installed Linux command across all distributions. Its availability and features vary widely depending on the specific package or custom script providing it.

The wpm command is typically a command-line utility designed to measure a user's typing speed in words per minute (WPM) and accuracy. Users are presented with a passage of text, which they must type correctly within a given timeframe or until completion. The tool then calculates metrics such as gross WPM, net WPM (accounting for errors), and accuracy percentage. While not a universally standard Linux command, various implementations exist, often as part of typing tutor packages, aiming to help users improve their keyboarding skills by providing immediate feedback on performance.

The wpm command is not a standard, universally available utility in most core Linux distributions. Its presence, specific functionality, and command-line options are entirely dependent on the specific package installed (e.g., a typing tutor program) or if a custom script named wpm has been created. Users may need to install a third-party package to gain this functionality, or consider alternative commands like ttyper.

Typically, the wpm command provides feedback including:
- Gross WPM: Total words typed divided by time, including errors.
- Net WPM: Correct words typed divided by time, often subtracting a penalty for errors.
- Accuracy: Percentage of correctly typed characters or words.
- Error Count: Number of mistakes made.

Some versions of wpm or similar typing test tools allow users to specify custom text files as input, enabling practice with specific vocabulary or code snippets. Others might include options for varying difficulty, choosing character sets, or practicing specific keyboard layouts like Dvorak or Colemak.

The concept of measuring typing speed in words per minute predates digital computers, with typewriters. On Linux, command-line typing test utilities emerged to help users improve their proficiency with keyboards, especially in text-based environments. While many utilities serve this purpose (e.g., ttyper, typing-test), a standardized command specifically named wpm is not prevalent. Implementations are often part of educational software packages or user-contributed scripts, reflecting diverse development paths rather than a single historical lineage.

ttyper(1), man(1), type(1)