hl is a command-line tool for inspecting structured logs from the terminal.
It’s designed for fast analysis of large log files and streams, helping users search, sort, and navigate log output without relying on heavier graphical tools. The project focuses on practical day-to-day troubleshooting with readable output, flexible filtering, and efficient handling of multiple inputs.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Supports both JSON and logfmt input formats.
- Filters records by field values, log levels, timestamps, and query expressions.
- Follows multiple log sources live with chronological synchronization.
- Handles compressed log files including bzip2, gzip, xz, and zstd.
- Integrates automatically with a pager, while also supporting pager-free streaming mode.
- Supports configuration files, environment variable overrides, and customizable themes.
- Cross-platform support – runs under Linux, macOS, and Windows.
Website: github.com/pamburus/hl
Support:
Developer: Pavel Ivanov
License: MIT License
hl is written in Rust. Learn Rust with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| LogFile Viewers | |
|---|---|
| lnav | Curses-based utility for viewing and analyzing log files. |
| tailspin | Terminal log file highlighter designed for inspecting log output in the shell |
| journalctl | Query and display messages from the journal |
| hl | Inspect structured logs from the terminal |
| Nerdlog | Remote-first terminal log viewer |
| lazyjournal | Inspect logs from multiple sources |
| KSystemLog | System log viewer for KDE |
| Logdy | Lightweight log viewer that works just like grep, awk, sed, or jq |
| humanlog | Reads logs from stdin and prints them back to stdout, but prettier. |
| toolong | View, tail, merge, and search log files |
| Xlogmaster | GTK+ based program to keep track of logfiles and devices |
| QJournalctl | Graphical User Interface for systemd’s journalctl |
| logrifle | Designed to "rifle through" large logfiles |
| Gnome-logs | View and search logs with this graphical utility |
| frontail | Stream logs to your web browser |
| nless | Pager for exploring structured and semi-structured data |
| glogg | Qt graphical log explorer |
| Chipmunk | Fast logfile viewer that can deal with huge logfiles (>10 GB) |
| SEE | Inspect logs from systemd services |
| MultiTail | View multiple logfiles windowed on the console |
| Logria | Log aggregation tool |
| logana | Work efficiently with very large log files, including multi-GB logs |
| QLogExplorer | Qt-based tool for exploring log files |
| Grafito | Simple, self-contained web-based log viewer for journalctl |
| swatch | Logfile viewer with regexp matching, highlighting & hooks |
| logmaster-gtk-d | Log viewer for Linux built with GTK and D |
| LogLens | Linux equivalent to Windows Event Viewer |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
 Explore our carefully curated directory of recommended free and open source software, covering every major software category.The directory forms part of our extensive collection of articles for Linux enthusiasts. It includes hundreds of detailed reviews, together with free and open source alternatives to proprietary software from companies such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, IBM, Cisco, Oracle, and Autodesk. LinuxLinks also covers interesting projects worth exploring, Linux-compatible hardware, free programming books and tutorials, and much more. Know a useful free and open source Linux application that we haven’t covered? Tell us about it using our submission form. |
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.