elinks Command in Linux: Syntax, Options & Practical Examples

Nov 2, 2022 Jul 1, 2026 Rohan Timalsina Deepak Prasad

Tested on	Ubuntu 25.04 (Plucky Puffin)
Package	`ELinks 0.16.1.1`
Applies to	Ubuntu, Debian, RHEL, Fedora
Privilege	sudo or root
Man page	elinks(1)
Scope	ELinks is a terminal web browser for Linux. It renders pages in text mode for interactive browsing over SSH, and with -dump or -source it prints readable text or raw HTML for scripts and offline docs.
Related guides	Linux commands

elinks — quick reference

Batch output (scripts and pipes)

Print formatted text or raw HTML without opening the interactive browser — the most common automation use.

When to use	Command
Print a readable text version of a URL	`elinks -dump https://example.com`
Print raw HTML source to stdout	`elinks -source https://example.com`
Save dumped text to a file	`elinks -dump https://example.com > page.txt`
Save HTML source to a file	`elinks -source https://example.com > page.html`
Set line width for `-dump` output	`elinks -dump-width 80 -dump https://example.com`
Omit link numbers in dump output (cleaner for grep)	`elinks -no-numbering -dump https://example.com`
Omit the References footer in dump output	`elinks -no-references -dump https://example.com`

Interactive browsing

Open the full-screen text UI — useful on servers and over SSH.

When to use	Command
Browse a URL interactively (quit with `q`)	`elinks https://example.com`
Start elinks and enter a URL at the prompt	`elinks`
Restrict local file access and disk writes	`elinks -anonymous https://example.com`

Local and offline files

Render HTML files and directories without network access.

When to use	Command
Open a local HTML file in the browser	`elinks /path/to/page.html`
Dump a local HTML file as plain text	`elinks -dump /path/to/page.html`
Treat unknown document types as HTML	`elinks -force-html -dump file.dat`

Lookup and connectivity

Quick checks from the same binary you use for browsing.

When to use	Command
Resolve a hostname to IP addresses	`elinks -lookup example.com`

Configuration

Inspect or customize ELinks settings.

When to use	Command
Print the default configuration to stdout	`elinks -config-dump`
Show help for configuration directives	`elinks -config-help`
Use a custom configuration directory	`elinks -config-dir ~/.elinks-custom`

Help and version

When to use	Command
Show brief usage	`elinks -help`
Show detailed usage	`elinks -long-help`
Show version and build features	`elinks -version`

elinks — command syntax

Synopsis from elinks -help on Ubuntu 25.04 (ELinks 0.16.1.1):

text

elinks [OPTION]... [URL]...

With no URL and no -dump/-source, ELinks starts in interactive mode. For scripting, -dump and -source fetch each URL and exit — no key bindings required. Install with sudo apt install elinks on Ubuntu if the command is missing.

elinks — command examples

Essential Extract readable text with -dump

-dump fetches the page and prints a formatted plain-text version — ideal for reading in the terminal or piping to other tools.

Run the command:

bash

elinks -dump https://example.com

Sample output:

output

Example Domain

   This domain is for use in documentation examples without needing
   permission. Avoid use in operations.

   [1]Learn more

References

   Visible links
   1. https://iana.org/domains/example

Add -no-numbering or -no-references when you want cleaner lines for grep or logging.

Essential Print raw HTML with -source

-source prints the document body as received — tags intact. Use it when you need titles, meta tags, or link URLs without a graphical browser.

Run the command:

bash
elinks -source https://example.com | head -c 400

Sample output (truncated):

text

<!doctype html><html lang="en"><head><title>Example Domain</title><link rel="icon" href="data:,"><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><style>body{background:#eee;width:60vw;margin:15vh auto;font-family:system-ui,sans-serif}h1{font-size:1.5em}div{opacity:0.8}a:link,a:visited{color:#348}</style></head><body><div><h1>Example Domain</h1><p>This domain is for use in documentation examples without needing permission. Avoid use in operations.</p><p><a href="https://iana.org/domains/example">Learn more</a></p></div></body></html>

Pipe to grep to pull a title or meta line without loading the full page in an editor.

Essential Render a local HTML file

ELinks reads file:// paths and local files the same way as HTTP URLs — handy for package docs under /usr/share/doc.

Create a sample page and dump it:

bash
printf '%s\n' '<html><head><title>Lab</title></head><body><h1>Hello ELinks</h1><p>Linux text browser test.</p></body></html>' > /tmp/elinks-lab/page.html
elinks -dump /tmp/elinks-lab/page.html

Sample output:

output

Hello ELinks

   Linux text browser test.

Remove the lab file when finished: rm -f /tmp/elinks-lab/page.html.

Common Save webpage text to a file

Redirect -dump stdout to capture a snapshot for diffing, cron jobs, or offline reading.

Run the command:

bash

elinks -dump https://example.com > /tmp/elinks-lab/page.txt
wc -l /tmp/elinks-lab/page.txt

Sample output:

output

11 /tmp/elinks-lab/page.txt

Inspect with less /tmp/elinks-lab/page.txt. Delete the file after testing: rm -f /tmp/elinks-lab/page.txt.

Common Filter dump output with grep

Pipe -dump into grep to keep lines that match a keyword — a simple pattern for status pages or release notes.

Run the command:

bash

elinks -dump https://example.com | grep -i example

Sample output:

output

Example Domain
   This domain is for use in documentation examples without needing
   1. https://iana.org/domains/example

Combine with -no-numbering -no-references when link footers clutter the match list.

Common Extract the page title from HTML source

Titles live in the HTML head. -source plus grep pulls them without a full dump.

Run the command:

bash
elinks -source https://example.com | grep -o '<title>[^<]*</title>'

Sample output:

output

<title>Example Domain</title>

For JSON or API endpoints, curl is usually a better fit — ELinks targets HTML documents.

Common DNS lookup with -lookup

-lookup resolves a hostname and prints A/AAAA addresses — a quick sanity check from the same tool you use to browse.

Run the command:

bash

elinks -lookup example.com

Sample output:

output

172.66.147.243
104.20.23.154

Addresses can change; use dig or host for full DNS detail when troubleshooting.

Advanced Control wrap width in dump output

-dump-width sets the column width for formatted text — useful when logging to narrow terminals or fixed-width reports.

Run the command:

bash

elinks -dump-width 40 -dump https://example.com

Sample output:

output

Example Domain

   This domain is for use in
   documentation examples without
   needing permission. Avoid use in
   operations.

   [1]Learn more

Default width depends on configuration; override per run when scripts expect a specific line length.

Advanced Print default configuration

-config-dump writes the stock ELinks configuration to stdout — a starting point before customizing colors, keys, or protocols.

Run the command:

bash

elinks -config-dump | head -8

Sample output:

output

## ELinks 0.16.1.1 configuration file

## This is ELinks configuration file. You can edit it manually,
## if you wish so, but keep in mind that this file is overwritten
## by ELinks when you save options through UI and you are out of
## luck if you want to have both your manual changes and UI changes
## preserved.

Pair with -config-help for directive descriptions. Interactive changes are saved under ~/.elinks/ by default.

elinks — when to use / when not

Use elinks when	Use something else when
You need a text-mode browser on a server or over SSH You want readable plain text from HTML (`-dump`) for scripts or logs You need raw HTML on stdout (`-source`) without a GUI You are reading local HTML docs under `/usr/share/doc` You want tabbed, menu-driven browsing in the terminal	You are downloading files or calling REST APIs → curl or wget You only need a one-line HTTP status or headers → `curl -I` You prefer a minimal non-interactive text browser → `lynx` or `w3m` You need JavaScript-heavy pages rendered accurately → graphical browser

elinks vs lynx

	elinks	lynx
UI	Tabbed browsing, menus, Lua/Perl scripting hooks	Simple, long-established text browser
Script output	`-dump`, `-source`, width and reference toggles	`-dump`, `-source`
Typical use	Interactive sessions plus formatted dumps	Quick dumps and minimal browsing
Install (Ubuntu)	`elinks` package	`lynx` package

Both are terminal browsers — pick elinks for richer UI and dump options; lynx when you want maximum simplicity.

elinks — interview corner

What is elinks used for in Linux?

ELinks is a text-mode web browser. It renders HTML as plain text in the terminal — no GUI required. Admins use it on servers and over SSH to read documentation sites, check that a URL loads, or extract page text.

For automation, -dump prints a formatted text version and -source prints raw HTML. Both exit without opening the interactive UI.

A strong answer is:

"elinks is a terminal web browser. I use -dump for readable text in scripts, -source for HTML, and interactive mode when I'm on a headless server and need to follow links with the keyboard."

What is the difference between elinks -dump and -source?

-dump renders the page for humans: headings, paragraphs, and link lists — HTML tags stripped or converted.

-source prints the raw HTML as fetched — tags, scripts, and markup intact.

Use -dump for reading or logging content; use -source when you need to parse tags (title, meta, href values) with grep or other tools.

A strong answer is:

"-dump gives formatted plain text; -source gives raw HTML. I pick dump for readability and source when I need to inspect markup."

When would you use elinks instead of curl?

curl transfers URLs and is best for APIs, headers, file downloads, and precise HTTP control.

elinks understands HTML layout: -dump produces readable text with link references; interactive mode lets you follow links in the terminal.

Use elinks when the deliverable is rendered page text or interactive browsing. Use curl for HTTP semantics, JSON, binary downloads, and authentication headers.

A strong answer is:

"curl for HTTP/API work; elinks when I need HTML rendered as text or a text browser on a server."

What does elinks -anonymous do?

-anonymous restricts ELinks so it does not read or write local configuration and limits access to local files and downloads — a safer mode on shared or untrusted systems.

It does not hide your IP or provide VPN-style privacy; it reduces local side effects of the browser.

A strong answer is:

"-anonymous limits local file access and config writes — useful on shared hosts, not a replacement for a privacy VPN."

How do you browse the web over SSH?

SSH sessions usually have no graphical display. Install a text browser (elinks, lynx, or w3m) on the remote host and open a URL:

bash

elinks https://example.com

Navigation is keyboard-driven: arrows to move, Enter to follow links, q to quit. For a one-shot text snapshot without interaction, use elinks -dump URL.

A strong answer is:

"On a remote server I run elinks URL in the SSH session, or elinks -dump when I only need the text. No DISPLAY needed."

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Likely cause	Fix
`elinks: command not found`	Package not installed	`sudo apt install elinks` (Ubuntu/Debian) or distro equivalent
Blank or garbled `-dump` output	Encoding or non-HTML content	Try `-dump-charset UTF-8`; use `curl` for non-HTML APIs
SSL or certificate errors	TLS trust or hostname mismatch	Update CA certs; test with `curl -v`; fix server cert in production
`-dump` includes noisy link numbers	Default dump formatting	Add `-no-numbering` and/or `-no-references`
Interactive page looks empty	JavaScript-required site	Text browsers do not run JS — use a graphical browser or API
Slow on large pages	Network or heavy HTML	Use `-dump` with a timeout wrapper; fetch smaller paths

Rohan Timalsina

is a technical writer and Linux enthusiast who writes practical guides on Linux commands and system administration. He focuses on simplifying complex topics through clear explanations.

Expertise

Linux
HTML5
JavaScript
Web Design
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