Inotail is a Linux/UNIX program that serves as an alternative to the base installation's 'tail' program. It allows for the tracking of changes in log files and can output the latest or real-time updates.
If you're a Linux/UNIX user, you'll be familiar with the 'tail' program that comes with the base installation. However, if you're looking for a faster and more efficient way to tail files in follow mode, you might want to try inotail.
Inotail is a project that utilizes the inotify infrastructure found in newer versions of the Linux kernel. This allows inotail to determine whether a file needs to be reread without having to poll it every second, which is what standard tail does by default.
While inotail isn't currently fully compatible with either POSIX or GNU tail, it may develop this compatibility in the future. In order to use inotail, you'll need a Linux kernel that's version 2.6.13 or higher with CONFIG_INOTIFY enabled. Additionally, you'll need the Standard C Library (tested with GNU libc, but others may work too).
One recent update to inotail is that it now outputs verbose file headers correctly when used in a pipe. Overall, if you're looking to streamline your file-tailing process, inotail is worth a try.
Inotail is a project that utilizes the inotify infrastructure found in newer versions of the Linux kernel. This allows inotail to determine whether a file needs to be reread without having to poll it every second, which is what standard tail does by default.
While inotail isn't currently fully compatible with either POSIX or GNU tail, it may develop this compatibility in the future. In order to use inotail, you'll need a Linux kernel that's version 2.6.13 or higher with CONFIG_INOTIFY enabled. Additionally, you'll need the Standard C Library (tested with GNU libc, but others may work too).
One recent update to inotail is that it now outputs verbose file headers correctly when used in a pipe. Overall, if you're looking to streamline your file-tailing process, inotail is worth a try.
What's New
Version 0.5: N/A