Many people in the world seem to think that man and information are one and the same. However, there is a clear distinction between the two. This blog post will explore the fundamental differences between man and information. Stay tuned!
What is Man?
Man is the system’s documentation utility. It produces online manuals ( browseable through hypertext or searchable) from source files that describe the use of other programs. The Man pages are usually written by the programs’ authors themselves and contain a wealth of detail and examples. Many Man pages also include cross-references to related Man pages. In general, Man pages provide an exhaustive description of what a program does and how to use it. They are an essential reference for any Unix user, administrator, or programmer. Linux distributions typically include thousands of Man pages in their default installation.
The Man pages are divided into several sections, each with a specific focus: Section 1 for user commands, Section 2 for system calls, Section 3 for library functions, and so on. The name Man comes from the manioc command, which is used to format Man pages for display. Man pages are also available online through various websites. However, these can be less reliable than the Man pages included with your Linux distribution, as they may not be up-to-date or complete. For this reason, it’s always best to consult the Man pages on your own system when possible.
What is Info?
Info documentation is a special type of documentation that is used in the Unix operating system. Info documentation consists of a series of hypertext pages that can be navigated using the Info viewer. Info documentation is typically used to provide online help for software programs. Info documentation is also sometimes used to provide online manuals for Unix systems. Info documentation is usually written in the Texinfo format.
The Info viewer can be invoked from the command line by typing “info” followed by the name of the Info page that you want to view. For example, to view the Info page for the Bash shell, you would type “info bash”. You can also invoke the Info viewer from within Emacs by typing “C-h i”. To view the Info page for a software program, you can type “C-h i m” followed by the name of the program. For example, to view the Info page for Emacs, you would type “C-h I m emacs”.
Difference between Man and Info
Man and Info are the two primary forms of documentation in the Unix world. Man pages are short manuals that provide concise information about a specific command or topic. Info documents, on the other hand, tend to be much longer and more comprehensive. They are often organized into a hierarchical structure, making it easy to find the information you need. Both Man and Info pages can be accessed from the command line using the man and info commands, respectively. When trying to decide which form of documentation to consult, it is important to consider your level of expertise and the amount of detail you need. Man pages are ideal for experienced users who just need a refresher on syntax or options, while Info documents are better suited for beginners who need more comprehensive instructions.
Conclusion
The man pages are more comprehensive and give you a lot of detail about the command. However, they can be difficult to read. The info pages are less comprehensive but easier to read. You may want to try reading both types of documentation and see which one works best for you.
