Unfortunately, the standard terminal text or output text from commands can often feel dull and boring.

With the delightful lolcat tool, you could now change your terminal output into a colorful rainbow display.

What Is the lolcat Command?

Terminal window showing the manual page for the Mutt email client on Linux

lolcat is a command-line tool that works much like thecat command.

However, it adds a fun twist by applying the vibrant rainbow effect to your terminal text.

To get started with lolcat, you gotta install it first.

Tux mascot jumping from Windows to Linux.

you might use your default package manager to set it up on your Linux system.

However, be aware that there are two different versions available to you.

-p or –spread

Adjust the spread of the color gradient.

A scene with clouds and a rainbow, featuring a Linux terminal on a podium with Tux standing behind it.

-d or –duration

Set the duration of the animation.

For example, -d 0.1 will make the colors change every 0.1 seconds.

-s or –speed

Controls how fast your text grooves across the screen.

Listing files and directories of Ubuntu Linux in colored output using lolcat.

A higher number means faster color changes.

-f or –freq

Use this flag to specify the frequency of the color pattern.

One of the easiest ways to use lolcat is topipe the outputof another Linux command through lolcat.

Displaying file content in colored output on Linux terminal using lolcat command.

However, the color-changing animation will last only for a short time due to its default options.

Create Colorful ASCII Text Banner

Want to create a colorful ASCII text banner in your terminal?

Look no further than lolcat.

Getting system information in rainbow colored format using neofetch and lolcat.

First, youll need to install figlet if its not already on your system.

Let’s combine lolcat withcowsay.

This fun command allows you to create speech bubbles with cute animal characters that display a message you provide.

Setting up an alias for the ls -l command in the ~/.bashrc file.

But first, install cowsay from your default package manager if you don’t already have it.

Cowsay comes with a whole menagerie of ASCII animals.

Let’s see what a rainbow tux has to say:

Tux has never looked so fabulous!

Displaying files and directories in long colored format using the alias lolls.

Whether you’recustomizing your terminalor just passing the time, there’s always something new to find out.

Displaying ASCII text banner in rainbow colored format using figlet and lolcat command.

Displaying an ASCII text banner in the terminal with a rainbow-colored format and using a slant font.

Displaying a rainbow-colored cow in the terminal window with some text.

Displaying a rainbow-colored tux in the terminal window.