How to find the Linux Command Line and How Do You Use It? – Guide
If you’re using a graphical interface, you can click on the “Start” button and type “cmd” to open a command prompt. This is where you can type in commands to control your computer. ..
Linux is a Unix-like operating system that is widely used in many places around the world. It’s older than desktop interfaces, but it’s still in use because it works well and is easy to learn. Many people swear by it.
A Brief History of the Command Line
The first electronic computers were not home devices. Instead, they were giant mainframes that took up entire rooms. So, the first shells were text-based because they had to be small enough to fit on a computer screen. Today, most operating systems have graphical interfaces. This is because it is easier for people to use them. Most people use a shell when they are using their computer. A shell is the interface that you use to view and interact with an operating system. ..
At that time, computing power was very low and network connections were slow. You could store many files and many users could log into a system simultaneously over a very slow connection when you were only working with text.
Unix was developed at Bell Labs in 1969 by Dennis Ritchie and Ken Thompson. Unix is one of the first mainframe operating systems to gain widespread adoption.
Unix was a shared system where people interacted with the computer from individual terminals. Users did everything from creating and browsing files to transmitting data by typing commands using a shell.
If something went wrong, a system administrator could check through a console, a text input device used for system-related messages, and display device to see if there were any messages related to the BIOS, bootloader, or kernel. Linux is a Unix-like operating system that replicates many of the functionality of Unix, but is available free of charge. ..
In 1979, Stephen Bourne created the Bourne shell as a replacement for the Unix shell. In 1989, Brian Fox created the Bourne Again shell as an open source replacement for the Bourne shell.
Command line refers to the interface that allows you to issue commands to a computer. Shell is the program that provides the command line interface. Terminal is the software that runs on your computer and provides a graphical user interface for issuing commands. Console is a type of terminal that allows you to run multiple programs at the same time. And bash is the most popular shell available today. ..
How to Use the Linux command line
To get started, you simply need to type the following into a Terminal window: Linux distribution’s command line application.
When you open a terminal window, you are given three pieces of information: your username, your hostname (either your local PC or a remote server), and your current directory. The ~ indicates the home folder, which is indicated by the $ symbol. ..
When you type a command into the terminal and press Enter, the results usually appear immediately. Many main commands are short, such as the cd command to change a directory, ls to list files in the current directory, or rm to delete a file.
command1 command2 However, there are a few special commands that follow a different syntax. These commands are called “special” or “unique.” Some of the most common special commands are: -cmd: This command is used to run a specific command. It is followed by the name of the program that will run the command. -type: This command is used to show all of the available commands. It is followed by a list of all of the commands that match the given criteria. -args: This command is used to give additional arguments to a specific command.
ls -l -rw-r–r– 1 root root 9 Aug 2 04:12 /usr/share/doc/php5/manual/reference.txt
In this snippet, ls is the command, -a is the option, and Downloads is the folder where you want to find files that match the given criteria.
The ls command lists all visible files and folders in the current directory. The -a option tells ls to list hidden files or folders as well. The Downloads destination directory tells ls to list the files in the Downloads folder instead of the folder you are currently working on.
There are many pre-installed Linux command line programs, which can be helpful if you’re ready to dive in. Check out our Linux command line reference sheet to see which ones are best for you.
Why can you use the command line today?
Many Linux users find it faster to type commands into a terminal than to search for and open an app store. This is not to say that app stores are slow, but they can be more time consuming. ..
Windows users can type “dnf” to get the details of the Dnf package manager. macOS users can type “pkg” to get the details of the Package Manager. Android and iOS users can type “appstore” or “ios” to get more information about app stores and their apps.
The command line is a powerful tool that can be used to automate repetitive tasks. ..
Some commands start what appear to be full applications running inside the terminal, such as the top command which can replace your graphical system monitor tool.
You can use a terminal to expand your knowledge of different types of hardware. For example, you might be interested in learning how to build a server on your own or how to use a Raspberry Pi.
If you’re having trouble starting your computer, knowing the command line can help you fix it without having to reinstall the operating system.
Does Linux require command line?
Linux is a versatile operating system that is easy to use.
If you’re a fan of the terminal, you can install a program like Tmux that lets you run and view multiple commands simultaneously.
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Final note
This guide will teach you how to use the Linux command line and some of the most common commands. By following these steps, you’ll be able to access your computer’s files and settings in a more efficient way. ..
