What is the difference between invoking the help using a --help key compared to invoking a "man command"?
When should I choose one over another.
What is the difference between invoking the help using a --help key compared to invoking a "man command"?
When should I choose one over another.
Help is a built-in "usage" of the command, and not all commands implement it, or at least not the same way, however, man
is a command by itself which is a pager program that reads manual. For more info issue the man man
for the manual pages for the man
command.
You should use man every time you need additional information about a command, as well with the info
command, that reads info documents.
info command
. See What is GNU Info for? for more. – manatwork Aug 13 '13 at 12:03