bat – Cat Clone with Syntax Highlighting

bat is a cat clone with syntax highlighting and Git integration. It enhances file viewing with line numbers, automatic paging, and beautiful themes for over 100 programming languages.

Key Features

• Syntax Highlighting: Automatic language detection
• Git Integration: Show file modifications
• Line Numbers: Built-in numbering
• Paging: Automatic less integration
• Themes: Multiple color schemes

Installation

Install bat on Ubuntu:

sudo apt install bat
# Note: binary may be named batcat
alias bat="batcat"

Usage Examples

Common bat operations:

# View file with syntax highlighting
bat script.py

# Show line numbers only
bat -n file.txt

# Show non-printable characters
bat -A binary.dat

# Concatenate files
bat header.md content.md footer.md

# Use specific theme
bat --theme="Dracula" code.js

Benefits

bat makes file viewing a pleasure with its visual enhancements. Syntax highlighting and Git integration provide context that plain cat cannot.

Download bat