Quick Tip

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

Challenge: When dealing with command output that spans multiple columns, it can often appear jumbled and difficult to read, especially when pipes or redirections are involved.

The Solution: The `column` command can format the output into a clean, multi-column layout.

ls -l | column -t

Why it works: The `column` command takes input and arranges it into nicely aligned columns, making it much easier to parse and understand tabular data. The `-t` option tells `column` to create a table by determining the number of columns the input supports.

Pro-Tip: Use `ls -l | column -s ” ” -t` to specify a space as the delimiter if the default detection doesn’t work as expected for your specific output.

Linux Tips & Tricks | © ngelinux.com | 6/6/2026