# Reading and Getting Help

Read any text file, never type a long command twice, and work out a command you've never seen.

Updated: November 10, 2026

## [Reading](https://www.ask-codey.com/courses/bash-in-depth/topics/bash-reading)

1. [Reading Files: cat and less](https://www.ask-codey.com/lessons/bash-reading-files) (Novice): cat prints a short file on the screen, less shows a long one a screen at a time with keys to move and search, and file tells you what kind of file something is before you open it.

## [Remembering](https://www.ask-codey.com/courses/bash-in-depth/topics/bash-remembering)

1. [Your Command History](https://www.ask-codey.com/lessons/bash-command-history) (Apprentice): The shell remembers every command you type, so the up arrow brings back the last ones, history lists them all with numbers, Ctrl+R finds one by any part of it, and clear gives you a fresh screen.

## [Help](https://www.ask-codey.com/courses/bash-in-depth/topics/bash-help)

1. [Getting Help](https://www.ask-codey.com/lessons/bash-getting-help) (Apprentice): Every command can explain itself, with --help for a short list of its options and man for its full manual page, type and which tell you what kind of command a name is, and an error message says what went wrong when you read it one part at a time.

## [Exercise: Read the Logbook](https://www.ask-codey.com/courses/bash-in-depth/topics/exercise-bash-read-the-logbook)

1. [Exercise: Read the Logbook](https://www.ask-codey.com/lessons/exercise-bash-read-the-logbook) (Apprentice): Take over a lighthouse station by reading its notice, its long logbook and its supplies with cat, less and file, look up a new command in its manual page, and let a check script tell you which answers are right.

Source: https://www.ask-codey.com/courses/bash-in-depth/chapters/bash-reading-and-getting-help