Terminal-Fun

Using the terminal in everyday programming life can make life much, much easier. However, there is a slight learning curve for this. Below will be a list of usable commands and how to use them.

The Basics

• ls: List all of the contents of a directory
  • ls -a (a is for all)
• cd: Change the work directory
  • cd home
• touch: Creates a file
• mkdir: Create a new directory
  • mkdir ubuntu (create a directory with the name ubuntu)
• rm: Remove
  • rm max (removes a file with the name Max)
  • rm max/ -rf (removes all contents of a directory)
• mv: Moves the contents of a file
  • mv old_file new_file
• cp: copy
  • cp old_file new_file -r (-r) does this recurively for a directory)
• file: Displays the content of a given file
  • file hack.sh
• man: The manual for the Linux OS. Probably more useful than Stack Overflow. Please read docs!
  • man touch (Gets the manual for the touch command)

Good To Knows

• cat: Shows the contents of a file
  • cat something.py
• tail/head: Tail shows the last 10 lines and head shows the first 10.
  • tail something.py
• less: Opens the file in a scrollable mode
• more: Opens the file to only scroll downwards.
• grep: A string based search tool
  • grep 'jacob' something.py -r
• find: Used for filename searches
  • find -name 'something.py' .
• echo: Displays the text given
  • echo 'kevin'
• ps: Checks for processs information
• sudo/su: Log in as the superuser

Linux Domination

• ;
  • Used for chaining commands together
  • ls; ps;
• &
  • Running a process in the background
  • python something.py &
• !!
  • Will run the previous command
  • sudo !!
• Tab completition:
  • Press tab while typing a command for autofilling

• • Output information into a file
  • ls >> output.txt
• |
  • The grand daddy of them all!
  • How to chain commands to together!
  • ls | grep '*.sh' (Puts the output of ls into the grep command)
• cut:
  • Carving information out of previous commands
  • ls | grep

Command Line Tools

• ssh:
  • Secure Shell (What Putty is)
  • ssh [email protected]
• scp:
  • Secure Copy (How to transfer files)
  • scp some_file.sh [email protected]:~/some_directory
• curl:
  • Making web requests
  • Too much to show here...
• tmux: Terminal multiplexor
  • Allows multiple terminals sessions to be running at once. Switch from tab to tab
  • Also, keeps processes open, even after you log out or go to sleep (great for deployment)
  • tmux ls, tmux attach -s name, tmux new -s name.
  • CNTL B, then d slightly delayed to detach from the session.
  • I use this: https://gist.github.com/MohamedAlaa/2961058 for references.

Text Editors

• vim:
  • Different modes of operation (insertion and regular)
  • Press i to go into insert mode. Use ESC to escape it.
  • k to move up; j to move down; l to move right; h to move left
  • o to insert at the next line
  • SHIFT + a to insert at the end of the line
  • :w to save
  • :wq to save and quite
  • :q! to force quite
  • /some_string to search the file for a string.
• nano