---
name: "ctail"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "byobu"
version: "5.133-1.1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ctail"
---

# ctail(1)

watch and colorize a logfile

## NAME

ctail - watch and colorize a logfile

## SYNOPSIS

**ctail** \[FILE\]

## DESCRIPTION

**ctail** is a very simple alias that watches a file and colorizes it.  It's very useful for monitoring logfiles.

## EXAMPLE

 ctail /var/log/syslog

## SEE ALSO

[**ccze**(1)](/ccze/1.md), [**tail**(1)](/tail/1.md)

## AUTHOR

This manpage and the utility was written by Dustin Kirkland \<kirkland@ubuntu.com\> for Ubuntu systems (but may be used by others).  Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU General Public License, Version 3 published by the Free Software Foundation.

On Debian systems, the complete text of the GNU General Public License can be found in /usr/share/common-licenses/GPL, or on the web at *http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.txt*.