man page
also: manual page
A manual page is built-in documentation for Linux commands, libraries, and system calls, accessible via the 'man' command. It provides syntax, options, examples, and usage information.
The man page (manual page) is the traditional form of documentation in Unix and Linux systems. Every standard command, utility, library function, and system call typically has an associated man page that explains how to use it, what options it accepts, and what it does.
Man pages are organized into numbered sections: section 1 covers user commands, section 2 covers system calls, section 3 covers library functions, and so on. You access them with the man command followed by the topic name. For example, man ls displays the manual page for the ls command.
A typical man page includes sections like NAME (brief description), SYNOPSIS (command syntax), DESCRIPTION (detailed explanation), OPTIONS (available flags), EXAMPLES (practical usage), and SEE ALSO (related commands). Man pages are plain-text formatted and displayed through a pager like less, allowing you to scroll and search through content.