10 Lesser-Known Effective Linux Commands

Unlocking the Power of Hidden Linux Commands

Welcome back to our deep dive into the powerful, yet often overlooked, world of Linux commands. In this fourth installment, we’re excited to reveal more underrated gems that can significantly enhance your command-line skills. As a Linux user, discovering these tools can streamline your processes and solve common problems with ease. Let’s dig into Part IV and unlock the full potential of your terminal.

Essential Hidden Linux Commands

1. The Strace Command

The strace command is a vital debugging tool used for troubleshooting in Linux environments. While it may not be pre-installed on all systems, it can be easily added via package managers like apt or yum.

To trace command execution, simply run:

strace pwd

For comprehensive usage, you can refer to the documentation with:

man strace

2. Disown and Exit for Background Jobs

In the realm of job control, the disown command is your ally against terminal closures. It allows you to keep jobs running in the background even after you exit the terminal.

Use this command to disown all background jobs upon exit:

command & disown -a && exit

For checking job statuses, the jobs command lists background jobs, allowing for specific detachment:

jobs             # List jobs
disown %n        # Replace n with job number

3. Displaying Date in Real-Time

For those working without a GUI, checking the current date can be cumbersome. Simplify this with a loop that updates the date every second in your terminal:

while sleep 1; do tput sc; tput cup 0 $(($(tput cols)-29)); date; tput rc; done &

4. Animated Clocks with Watch and Figlet

Combine the watch command with figlet for an animated digital clock display in your terminal. Ensure figlet is installed, then run:

watch -t -n 1 "date +%T | figlet"

5. Host and Dig for DNS Lookups

The host and dig commands are essential for DNS management. Use host for simple lookups:

host www.google.com

The dig command provides in-depth information, useful for debugging DNS configurations:

dig www.google.com

6. Real-time System Resource Monitoring with Dstat

Using dstat introduces a powerful tool for real-time monitoring of system resources. This command provides comprehensive insights into CPU, memory, and network usage.

Install dstat using:

sudo apt install dstat         # Debian/Ubuntu

Then, execute it simply with:

dstat

7. Bind to View Keyboard Shortcuts

View all current key bindings in the Bash shell using:

bind -p

This command is invaluable for customizing workflows and enhancing efficiency within the terminal.

8. Force Filesystem Check on Boot

To ensure a filesystem check on the next reboot, create an empty flag file with:

touch /forcefsck

9. Interactive Disk Usage with Ncdu

ncdu is a superior disk usage analyzer that provides an interactive interface to manage disk space efficiently. Installable via:

sudo apt install ncdu         # Debian/Ubuntu

Run ncdu in any directory to explore disk usage:

ncdu

10. Secure File Deletion with Shred

shred is a crucial command for securely erasing files, preventing any chance of recovery. Utilize it with:

shred -u filename

Conclusion

These hidden Linux commands can transform your command-line experience, making tasks easier and more efficient. By incorporating them into your daily workflow, you can leverage the full power of Linux and enhance your productivity. Embrace these tools and watch your skills grow!

FAQs

What is the purpose of the strace command?

Strace allows developers and system administrators to diagnose issues by monitoring system calls made by programs.

How can I securely delete files in Linux?

Use the shred command to overwrite files multiple times, making recovery nearly impossible.

What is the difference between host and dig commands?

The host command provides basic DNS lookups, while dig offers more advanced features and detailed output for troubleshooting DNS configurations.

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