How can you get help for a command without using man pages?

Using the option command --help is a common way to obtain help for a command in the Linux terminal. Many command-line utilities support the --help flag as a standardized way to display brief information about how to use the command, including available options and arguments. This method provides a quick reference for users who need guidance without diving into comprehensive man pages.

The use of the --help option aligns with conventions in many Linux commands, making it a recognizable and accessible way to receive immediate assistance about the command's functionality. This helps users to quickly understand how to invoke the command properly, what flags are available, and their usages.

Other options, such as command -h or command help, may also provide help in some contexts, but they are not universally standard across all commands. The command help --verbose option suggests a more complex interaction that may not exist for many commands, limiting its general applicability. Therefore, command --help is the most reliable and widely accepted method for retrieving help information directly from the command line without accessing man pages.