Add Display Line Numbers While Using Less as a Unix TIL

README.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ working across different projects via [VisualMode](https://www.visualmode.dev/).
 
 For a steady stream of TILs, [sign up for my newsletter](https://visualmode.kit.com/newsletter).
 
-_1717 TILs and counting..._
+_1718 TILs and counting..._
 
 See some of the other learning resources I work on:
 
@@ -1639,6 +1639,7 @@ If you've learned something here, support my efforts writing daily TILs by
 - [Different Ways To Generate A v4 UUID](unix/different-ways-to-generate-a-v4-uuid.md)
 - [Display All The Terminal Colors](unix/display-all-the-terminal-colors.md)
 - [Display Free Disk Space](unix/display-free-disk-space.md)
+- [Display Line Numbers While Using Less](unix/display-line-numbers-while-using-less.md)
 - [Display The Contents Of A Directory As A Tree](unix/display-the-contents-of-a-directory-as-a-tree.md)
 - [Do A Dry Run Of An rsync](unix/do-a-dry-run-of-an-rsync.md)
 - [Do Not Overwrite Existing Files](unix/do-not-overwrite-existing-files.md)

unix/display-line-numbers-while-using-less.md

@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+# Display Line Numbers While Using Less
+
+Including line numbers while viewing files with `less` can provide useful
+context for understanding where you are within the file. This is especially true
+if you've used `&` to filter down to lines that match a pattern.
+
+You can start `less` with line numbers with the `-N` flag (or `--LINE-NUMBERS`
+if you really want to spell it out).
+
+```bash
+$ less -N log/development.log
+```
+
+If you've already started up `less` and wish you had included line numbers,
+there is no reason to restart it with the flag. Instead, toggle the line numbers
+option on within the `less` process. To do this, type `-N`. It will prompt you
+with `Constantly display line numbers (press RETURN)`. Hit enter and line
+numbers will appear to the left of each line in the file.
+
+Similarly, to toggle line numbers back off within `less`, hit `-n` (lower-case
+`n`), accept the prompt, and back off they go.
+
+Both of these (`-N`/`-n`) are options being set (toggled) via the `-` command.
+There are many other options like these that can be configured within a `less`
+session in the same way.
+
+See `man less` and find the `-` command and the available `OPTIONS`.