Quick Tip

Taming Terminal Output: The `column` Command for Clean Layouts

Challenge: When dealing with commands that output tabular data, like `ls -l` or `ps aux`, the output can often become jumbled and hard to read, especially when lines wrap unexpectedly.

The Solution: Utilize the `column` command to format the output into neat, aligned columns.

your_command | column -t

Why it works: The `-t` option tells `column` to create a table by determining the number of columns and the width needed for each, ensuring perfect alignment.

Pro-Tip: Experiment with `column -s DELIMITER -t` if your command’s output uses a specific delimiter other than whitespace.

Linux Tips & Tricks | © ngelinux.com | 5/27/2026