How can I inspect a small text file from the command line?

Choose the command for the shell you are using. In Bash, type cat filename.txt; GNU Coreutils documents cat as copying a named file’s contents to standard output, which displays it in the terminal. [S1] In PowerShell, use Get-Content -Path filename.txt; for files, it reads line by line and returns content that can be displayed in the console. [S2]

Replace filename.txt with your file’s actual name or path. For example, if a file named notes.txt is in the current directory, use cat notes.txt in Bash or Get-Content -Path notes.txt in PowerShell. The examples assume the file is available to read. These commands display content rather than editing the input file. [S1] [S2]

Check the file’s exact name and path, then put that path in place of filename.txt. If the command reports an error, check the spelling and the path you entered before trying again.

Run only the display command; do not add a separate command intended to save or change content. The cited references describe the named commands as reading and displaying content, not changing the input file. [S1] [S2] They document GNU Coreutils and PowerShell behavior, respectively, and do not establish that every platform behaves identically.

For a small file, displaying it with the basic command may be enough. In PowerShell, Get-Content -Path notes.txt -TotalCount 10 requests a limited number of lines from the beginning, while Get-Content -Path notes.txt -Tail 10 requests lines from the end. These options are documented for PowerShell 7.3. [S2] Change 10 to the number of lines you want to inspect.

If you want the file content as one string in PowerShell rather than line-by-line output, the reference documents -Raw: Get-Content -Path notes.txt -Raw. [S2] This is still a read operation. The supplied Bash reference documents displaying a named file with cat, but does not document equivalent options for selecting just the beginning or end. [S1]

Try this sequence with a text file you are comfortable viewing:

1. Identify whether you are using Bash or PowerShell.
2. Replace the sample filename with your file’s name or path.
3. Run the matching display command:

• Bash: cat notes.txt
• PowerShell: Get-Content -Path notes.txt

1. Read the output in the terminal. For a beginning or ending excerpt in PowerShell, try Get-Content -Path notes.txt -TotalCount 10 or Get-Content -Path notes.txt -Tail 10. [S2]
2. If the path does not work, check it and try the display command again. Do not switch to a command intended to write content just to inspect the file.

The examples use notes.txt as a placeholder, so substitute the name or path of the file you want to read. These commands display content; they do not establish whether the file is complete, correctly encoded, or suitable to share. [S1] [S2]