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
| Command-Line Log Filters, Highlighters and Watchers | |
|---|---|
| tailspin | Highlights log output automatically without predefined log formats |
| hl | Filters, searches and highlights structured logs in the terminal |
| humanlog | Formats structured logs into readable, colourised terminal output |
| fblog | Formats and filters JSON logs using configurable fields and Lua expressions |
| Logalize | Customisable log colouriser with regex patterns and themes |
| swatch | Monitors log files and triggers actions when specified patterns match |
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