10 Lesser Known Effective Linux Commands

Linux is a powerful and versatile operating system that is used in various devices and computers worldwide. It offers a range of tools and features that make it well-suited for developers, administrators, and users who require a fast, stable, and secure platform.

In this article, we will explore some lesser-known but highly effective Linux commands that can help you boost your productivity and perform various tasks more efficiently.

1. pv

pv is a simple yet powerful tool that allows you to monitor the progress of data as it is transferred between two sources. It can be used to track the progress of file transfers, backups, and other operations that involve data “piping.”

For example, to display a progress bar while transferring a file, you can use the following command:

pv file.txt > /tmp/file.txt

In this example, pv will monitor the progress of the file transfer and display a progress bar with the current transfer rate, estimated time remaining, and percentage completed.

2. curl

curl is a command-line tool used to transfer data between servers and clients. It supports various protocols, including HTTP, FTP, SMTP, and more.

To download a file using curl, you can use the following command:

curl -O http://www.example.com/file.txt

In this example, curl will download the file file.txt from www.example.com and save it in the current directory.

You can also use curl to perform various other operations, including sending data to a server, uploading files, and more.

3. find

find is a powerful command-line tool used to search for files and directories on your Linux system. It can be used to search based on various criteria, including file name, size, modification time, and more.

To search for files with a specific name pattern, use the following command:

find / -name "*.txt"

In this example, find will search for all files with the .txt extension in the root directory.

You can also use find to perform various other operations, including deleting files, copying files, and more.

4. tee

tee is a command-line tool used to redirect data to multiple destinations simultaneously. It is often used in conjunction with other tools, such as grep and awk, to process data and write it to multiple places at once.

For example, to redirect the output of a command to a file and the console at the same time, use the following command:

cat file.txt | tee /tmp/out.txt

In this example, tee will write the output of cat file.txt to both /tmp/out.txt and the console.

5. echo

echo is a simple command used to print text to the console. It is often used in shell scripts and other automated tasks to display messages and status updates.

For example, to display a message on the console, use the following command:

echo "Hello, world!"

In this example, echo will print the message “Hello, world!” to the console.

6. wc

wc is a command-line tool used to count the number of lines, words, and characters in a file. It can be used to perform various operations, including checking the size of a file and measuring the output of a command.

For example, to count the number of lines in a file, use the following command:

wc -l my-file.txt

In this example, wc will count the number of lines in my-file.txt.

7. xargs

xargs is a command-line tool used to execute a command on each item in a list. It can be used to perform various operations, including searching for files, compressing files, and more.

For example, to search for all files with a specific name pattern and delete them, use the following command:

find / -name "*.log" | xargs rm

In this example, find will generate a list of files with the .log extension, and xargs will execute the rm command on each item in the list.

8. nl

nl is a command-line tool used to number the lines in a file. It can be used to perform various operations, including generating a table of contents for a document and tracking the line number of specific text.

For example, to number the lines in a file and display the result on the console, use the following command:

nl my-file.txt

In this example, nl will number the lines in my-file.txt and display the result on the console.

9. stat

stat is a command-line tool used to display the status information of a file. It can be used to perform various operations, including checking the permissions, ownership, and modification time of a file.

For example, to display the status information of a file, use the following command:

stat my-file.txt

In this example, stat will display the status information of my-file.txt.

10. ssh-keygen

ssh-keygen is a command-line tool used to generate SSH keys for authentication. It can be used to authenticate a user or automate tasks requiring SSH connectivity.

For example, to generate an SSH key, use the following command:

ssh-keygen

In this example, ssh-keygen will generate an SSH key pair, which can be used for authentication or automation.

Conclusion

Linux is a powerful and versatile operating system that offers numerous command-line tools to help you perform various tasks more efficiently. In this article, we have explored ten lesser-known but highly effective Linux commands that can help you boost your productivity and streamline your workflow.

By mastering these commands and incorporating them into your daily routine, you can become a more adept Linux user and achieve your goals more quickly and efficiently.