# pv

the `pv` command, which is used to monitor the progress of data through a pipeline. Here's an overview of `pv`:

**pv** stands for "Pipe Viewer". It allows you to monitor the progress and throughput of data as it passes through a pipeline, which can be useful for tasks involving data transfer, backups, and other operations where progress tracking is beneficial.

### Basic Usage

The basic syntax of `pv` is:

```bash
pv [options] [file(s)]
```

* **Options**: Various options can be used to customize the behavior of `pv`, such as `-p` for progress bar, `-t` for timer, `-e` for estimated time remaining, etc.
* **file(s)**: Specifies the file(s) or input source(s) to read from.

### Examples

1.  **Monitor progress of a file transfer**:

    ```bash
    pv source-file > destination-file
    ```

    This command will display the progress bar, percentage completed, current data transfer rate, and estimated time remaining for copying `source-file` to `destination-file`.
2.  **Pipe data through pv**:

    ```bash
    tar cf - /path/to/dir | pv | gzip > archive.tar.gz
    ```

    This example shows how to use `pv` to monitor the progress of compressing a directory (`/path/to/dir`) into a tarball (`archive.tar.gz`) using `gzip`.
3.  **Monitor data transfer rate**:

    ```bash
    cat large-file | pv -r > /dev/null
    ```

    Here, `pv -r` displays the rate of data transfer from `large-file` to `/dev/null`.

### Key Features

* **Progress Indicator**: Shows a progress bar (`-p`), percentage completed, current throughput rate (`-r`), and estimated time remaining (`-e`).
* **Timer**: Displays elapsed time (`-t`) and total data transferred (`-s`).
* **Customization**: Various options allow customization of the output format and behavior to suit specific needs.
* **Compatibility**: Works with any command that sends data through a pipeline (`|`), making it versatile for monitoring data flow in different scenarios.

### Conclusion

`pv` is a versatile command-line utility for monitoring data progress through pipelines in Linux. Whether you're copying files, creating backups, or performing data transfers, `pv` provides real-time feedback on throughput and progress, enhancing visibility and control over these operations. Refer to `man pv` for a detailed list of options and usage examples tailored to your specific requirements.
