---
name: "tspin"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "tailspin"
version: "7.0.0-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/tspin"
---

# tspin(1)

A log file highlighter

## NAME

tspin - A log file highlighter

## SYNOPSIS

**tspin** \[*OPTION*\]... \[*FILE*\]...

## DESCRIPTION

tailspin is a command line tool that highlights log files.

## OPTIONS

- *-f, --follow*

  Follow (tail) the contents of the file. Always true when using the *--exec* flag.

- *-p, --print*

  Print the output to stdout instead of viewing the contents in the pager *less*. Always true if using stdin.

- *--theme* **PATH**

  Specify the path to a custom theme file. Defaults to **XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/tailspin/theme.toml** or **~/.config/tailspin/theme.toml** if not set. On Windows, defaults to **%APPDATA%\\tailspin\\theme.toml**. Can also be set via the *TAILSPIN\_THEME* environment variable.

- *-e, --exec* **COMMAND**

  Run command and view the output in a pager. The command traps the interrupt signal to allow for cancelling and resuming follow mode while inside *less*.

  **Example:**\

  ```
  tspin --exec 'kubectl logs -f pod_name'
  ```

*--highlight* **COLOR1**:*word1,word2,...* **COLOR2**:*word3,word4,...*

Highlight the provided comma-separated words in the specified color. Possible colors are black, red, green, yellow, blue, magenta, cyan, and white, optionally prefixed with bright\_ (e.g. bright\_red).

**Example:**\

```
tspin logfile.txt --highlight red:error,fail --highlight green:success,ok
```

- *--enable=\[HIGHLIGHT\_GROUP\]*

  Disable all highlighting groups except the ones specified. Comma separated list of groups. Cannot be used with **--disable=\[HIGHLIGHT\_GROUP\]**. Possible groups: numbers, urls, emails, pointers, dates, durations, paths, quotes, key-value-pairs, uuids, ipv4, processes, json, keywords.

- *--disable=\[HIGHLIGHT\_GROUP\]*

  Disable the specified highlighting groups. Comma separated list of groups. Cannot be used with **--enable=\[HIGHLIGHT\_GROUP\]**. The *keywords* group controls the builtin keywords (booleans, nulls, log severities and common REST verbs); keywords from the config file and the **--highlight** flag always apply. Possible groups: numbers, urls, emails, pointers, dates, durations, paths, quotes, key-value-pairs, uuids, ipv4, processes, json, keywords.

- *--extras=\[EXTRA\]*

  Enable extra highlighters. Comma separated list of extras. Possible values: ipv6, jvm-stack-trace. Can also be set via the *TAILSPIN\_EXTRAS* environment variable.

- *--pager* **COMMAND**

  Override the default pager command used by tspin. The command must include the string *\[FILE\]* which will be replaced with the file path internally.

  **Example:**\

  ```
  tspin logfile.txt --pager "ov -f [FILE]"
  ```

- *--completions* **SHELL**

  Print shell completions to stdout. Possible values: bash, elvish, fish, powershell, zsh.

- *--generate-default-theme*

  Print the default theme as a theme.toml to stdout. Every value in the output is a default: copy it to **~/.config/tailspin/theme.toml** and edit the styles you want to override.

## ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

**TAILSPIN\_PAGER**

Set the *TAILSPIN\_PAGER* environment variable to override the default pager. Equivalent to the **--pager** flag. The command must include the string *\[FILE\]* which will be replaced with the file path internally. For example, *"ov -f \[FILE\]"*.

**TAILSPIN\_EXTRAS**

Comma separated list of extras to enable by default. Equivalent to the **--extras** flag. For example, *"jvm-stack-trace"* or *"ipv6,jvm-stack-trace"*.

**TAILSPIN\_THEME**

Path to the theme file to use. Equivalent to the **--theme** flag.

## SEE ALSO

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

## ABOUT

Ben Sadeh (github.com/bensadeh/tailspin)

Released under the MIT License