sl(1)
Display a steam locomotive animation on the terminal when you mistype 'ls'.
Synopsis
sl [OPTION]...Description
sl is a humorous command that displays an animated steam locomotive traveling across your terminal screen. It serves as a playful alternative to the ls command—useful for correcting the common typo of typing 'sl' instead of 'ls'. The locomotive animation runs for a fixed duration before returning to the prompt.
This command is purely decorative and has no practical file-listing functionality. It's often installed on systems as a joke or easter egg to gently poke fun at users who mistype common commands.
Common options
| Flag | What it does |
|---|---|
-a | Display an accident (add additional animation effects) |
-l | Show a little locomotive instead of the normal-sized one |
-F | Add flying mode (locomotive flies across screen) |
-c | Smoke configuration or alternate rendering mode |
Examples
Watch a steam locomotive animation cross the screen from left to right
slView the locomotive with a crash or accident effect at the end
sl -aDisplay a smaller, miniature locomotive animation
sl -lWatch the locomotive fly across the screen with wings
sl -F