File viewer with syntax highlighting, written in x86_64 Linux assembly. No libc, no runtime, pure syscalls. Single static binary, 38KB.
A less/cat/bat replacement. Three modes: full-screen pager, cat-style output, and embeddable pane output for TUI applications.
git clone https://github.com/isene/show.git
cd show
make
sudo make installshow file.rb # full-screen pager (if stdout is a terminal)
show file.py | grep def # cat mode with colors (if stdout is a pipe)
echo "hello" | show # pipe mode (reads stdin)
show --lines 10-30 file.c # pane mode (for embedding in TUI apps)
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| j / Down | Scroll down one line |
| k / Up | Scroll up one line |
| Space / PgDn | Page down |
| b / PgUp | Page up |
| g / Home | Go to top |
| G / End | Go to bottom |
| l | Toggle line numbers |
| Left / Right | Horizontal scroll |
| q | Quit |
20+ languages with keyword, type, function, string, comment, number, and operator coloring:
| Language | Extensions |
|---|---|
| Assembly | .asm, .s |
| C/C++ | .c, .h, .cpp, .hpp, .cc |
| C# | .cs |
| Forth | .fth, .4th, .forth |
| Go | .go |
| Java | .java |
| JavaScript/TypeScript | .js, .ts, .jsx, .tsx |
| Julia | .jl |
| Lua | .lua |
| Python | .py |
| Ruby | .rb, .gemspec |
| Rust | .rs |
| Shell | .sh, .bash, .zsh, .fish |
| XRPN | .xrpn |
| JSON | .json |
| YAML | .yaml, .yml |
| TOML | .toml |
| Markdown | .md |
| Config | .conf, .cfg, .ini |
Shebang detection: files without extensions are identified by #!/...ruby, #!/...python, etc.
| Element | Color |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Hot pink (197) |
| Strings | Green (78) |
| Comments | Gray (242) |
| Numbers | Purple (141) |
| Types | Cyan (81) |
| Functions | Yellow-green (148) |
| Operators | Light gray (248) |
| Line numbers | Dark gray (240) |
Colors match the pointer file manager's built-in highlighter.
Pager mode (default when stdout is a terminal): full-screen with scrolling, status bar, and line numbers. Uses alternate screen buffer.
Cat mode (when stdout is a pipe): outputs all lines with syntax highlighting and line numbers. Works like bat or cat with colors.
Pane mode (--lines M-N): outputs a specific line range with highlighting. No raw mode, no key handling. Designed for embedding in TUI applications like pointer and RTFM.
| Tool | Purpose | Binary | Suite |
|---|---|---|---|
| show | File viewer | 38KB | CHasm |
| bare | Interactive shell | 130KB | CHasm |
Unlicense - public domain.
Created by Geir Isene (https://isene.org) with pair-programming with Claude Code.