DevOps Articles

Print a full-width horizontal line using the current terminal width (custom character supported)

In the realm of command line interfaces, creating a visual delineation is often essential for clarity and organization. This article demonstrates a simple method for printing a full-width horizontal line in your terminal. By leveraging the current width of the terminal, users can customize characters to suit their preferences, enhancing the visual appeal of their command line operations.

The technique involves utilizing shell commands that detect the terminal width dynamically. By using commands such as `tput` along with `printf`, users can create a line that spans the entire width of the terminal, using any character they desire. This functionality is particularly useful for scripting and logging output, allowing developers to differentiate between sections of output easily.

Furthermore, the article encourages experimentation with different characters to add a personal touch to one’s terminal experience. Whether it’s for highlighting important messages or simply for aesthetic reasons, mastering this command can significantly improve workflow efficiency. By integrating custom separators, DevOps professionals can maintain better clarity in their scripts and terminal interactions, ultimately leading to more organized projects and easier debugging processes.