Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 21

Thread: Where can I learn most used Ubuntu Commands?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2020
    Beans
    16

    Where can I learn most used Ubuntu Commands?

    question from a ubuntu newbie:

    Where can I learn most used Ubuntu Commands? Can I have all complied in a list with short description?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Maine
    Beans
    2,420
    Distro
    Kubuntu

    Re: Where can I learn most used Ubuntu Commands?

    Hello And Welcome to Ubuntu Linux.
    You can learn a lot from this tutorial.
    and this list will help.
    Wireless script
    Dave
    Registered Linux User #462608
    Morse Code an early Digital Mode.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Beans
    3,232

    Re: Where can I learn most used Ubuntu Commands?

    The "most used commands" is pretty irrelevant. One command set that one person uses may be wildly different to another users. I suggest you simply use the OS in command line and research commands as and when you need to use them.
    More of a "how do I do x?" rather than "what are all he things I can do?"

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Lab, Slovakia
    Beans
    10,783

    Re: Where can I learn most used Ubuntu Commands?


  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Beans
    334

    Re: Where can I learn most used Ubuntu Commands?

    being a newbie , this advice
    More of a "how do I do x?" rather than "what are all he things I can do?"
    would probably work better

    having a list off ALL/MOST USED commands ,is going to hurt your brain

    here's another topic to get you started
    Last edited by T6&sfpER35%; October 20th, 2020 at 12:57 PM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    U.K.
    Beans
    Hidden!
    Distro
    Ubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish

    Re: Where can I learn most used Ubuntu Commands?

    Can I have all complied in a list with short description?
    What might be helpful is a desktop tool to retain commands which you learn over time (rather than copying and pasting from fora).
    Just look at the number of commands under various topics here.
    I did try clicompanion but now I keep commands in codeboxes in CherryTree editor.
    If you are on Ubuntu 20.04 then the latest 0.99.16 is the way to go.
    Edit Node (e.g. create node titled Backup)) > Insert Codebox > select sh then you can run the command snippets.
    This way you keep a text description of the command, plus the command snippets.
    In fact CherryTree has two options for usage. XML and SQlite.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Squidbilly-Land
    Beans
    Hidden!
    Distro
    Ubuntu

    Re: Where can I learn most used Ubuntu Commands?

    Quote Originally Posted by dezintop View Post
    question from a ubuntu newbie:

    Where can I learn most used Ubuntu Commands? Can I have all complied in a list with short description?
    I use the commands located in
    • /bin
    • /usr/bin
    • /sbin
    • /usr/sbin

    on my systems. Each of those has a manpage which provides the official documentation for the command. Manpages are installed on the system with the program installed package.
    Code:
    $ apropos less
    ...
    less (1)             - opposite of more
    ...
    $ apropos more
    ...
    more (1)             - file perusal filter for crt viewing
    ...
    $ man less
    LESS(1)                             General Commands Manual                            LESS(1)
    
    NAME
           less - opposite of more
    
    SYNOPSIS
           less -?
           less --help
           less -V
           less --version
           less [-[+]aABcCdeEfFgGiIJKLmMnNqQrRsSuUVwWX~]
                [-b space] [-h lines] [-j line] [-k keyfile]
                [-{oO} logfile] [-p pattern] [-P prompt] [-t tag]
                [-T tagsfile] [-x tab,...] [-y lines] [-[z] lines]
                [-# shift] [+[+]cmd] [--] [filename]...
           (See the OPTIONS section for alternate option syntax with long option names.)
    
    DESCRIPTION
           Less  is  a  program similar to more (1), but it has many more features.  Less does not
           have to read the entire input file before starting, so with large input files it starts
           up  faster  than text editors like vi (1).  Less uses termcap (or terminfo on some sys‐
           tems), so it can run on a variety of terminals.  There  is  even  limited  support  for
           hardcopy  terminals.  (On a hardcopy terminal, lines which should be printed at the top
           of the screen are prefixed with a caret.)
    ...
    There are about 50 pgs of documentation for less. This documentation explains all the options, what each does, caveats, environment variables, and a number of in-app techniques.

    less and more are "pagers". Tools that show output a page at a time. Less has many features that more does not. Whenever I see people using 'cat', I freak out a little. 'cat' is nearly useless, since most commands will read a file or set of files automatically and less can do things that cat cannot. Honestly, I use 'tac' more often then I use 'cat'.
    Whenever I see something like this:
    Code:
    $ cat file |grep foo
    I die just a little. Just use
    Code:
    $ grep foo file
    and save 2 new processes from being started unnecessarily. Whenever someone uses 'cat', they probably shouldn't. I tend to use egrep over grep -E too.

    There are about 2,000 commands in /bin/. On my 20.04 system, /usr/bin and /bin are the same location. There's a symbolic link from /bin --> /usr/bin. Same for /sbin/ which only has about 500 commands. /sbin/ is full of commands used by administrators.

    Anyways, use the manpages. They are full if extremely useful information.

    There are always books too. When first starting out, having information provided in a logical order is really important, to prevent back-tracking to learn stuff that jumping around forces. http://linuxcommand.org/tlcl.php - read the first 250 or so pages to get a solid foundation. Be certain to do the exercises. Skipping them only hurts yourself. Try out commands and options that are related, but not specifically shown in the chapter. A solid understanding of users, groups, permissions, will go a long way to limiting confusion.

    Oh ... I used the apropos command. That searches all installed manpages on a system based on the query provided and returns a 1-line, short, summary of what the command does. The query term must exist in that 1-line summary.
    Code:
    $ apropos hdparm
    hdparm (8)           - get/set SATA/IDE device parameters
    hdparm.conf (5)      - Debian configuration file for hdparm
    That's pretty useful, yes? hdparm is a tool that can be used to tune performance for storage.
    man -k == apropos.

    Learning to use manpages is like learning to use google advanced searches. Manpages have a specific layout sorta like a newspaper article. The most important stuff comes first, but as we read farther down, more details are provided. Often, we just need the different options as a reminder. But sometimes we need more details for exactly what each option does.

    Code:
    $ man apt
    is a good manpage. We all use the 'apt' command to maintain our systems.
    Code:
    sudo apt update
    sudo apt full-upgrade
    sudo apt autoremove --purge
    Those 3 commands, run once a week are nearly all an Ubuntu desktop needs to stay patched. If daily or weekly backups are being done too, we are pretty solid with out systems maintenance.
    Last edited by TheFu; October 21st, 2020 at 01:11 PM.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    London, England
    Beans
    7,699

    Re: Where can I learn most used Ubuntu Commands?

    I have to agree with ActionParsnip. Trying to learn all possible commands, or even just trying to learn the most commonly used ones will be too much. There are a very few that you will need over and over, so are worth learning right at the start. Off the top of my head: man, cd, pwd, ls, cp, rm are all fundamental. Even with those, don't try to memorise every option because you will rarely use most options.
    Use how-to guides to find commands as you need them. Those that you expect to be using often, learn the options you need to know. Those that you expect to use rarely, just try to remember they exist.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Beans
    334

    Re: Where can I learn most used Ubuntu Commands?

    Quote Originally Posted by TheFu View Post
    I use the commands located in
    • /bin
    • /usr/bin
    • /sbin
    • /usr/sbin

    on my systems. Each of those has a manpage which provides the official documentation for the command. Manpages are installed on the system with the program installed package.
    Code:
    $ apropos less
    ...
    less (1)             - opposite of more
    ...
    $ apropos more
    ...
    more (1)             - file perusal filter for crt viewing
    ...
    $ man less
    LESS(1)                             General Commands Manual                            LESS(1)
    
    NAME
           less - opposite of more
    
    SYNOPSIS
           less -?
           less --help
           less -V
           less --version
           less [-[+]aABcCdeEfFgGiIJKLmMnNqQrRsSuUVwWX~]
                [-b space] [-h lines] [-j line] [-k keyfile]
                [-{oO} logfile] [-p pattern] [-P prompt] [-t tag]
                [-T tagsfile] [-x tab,...] [-y lines] [-[z] lines]
                [-# shift] [+[+]cmd] [--] [filename]...
           (See the OPTIONS section for alternate option syntax with long option names.)
    
    DESCRIPTION
           Less  is  a  program similar to more (1), but it has many more features.  Less does not
           have to read the entire input file before starting, so with large input files it starts
           up  faster  than text editors like vi (1).  Less uses termcap (or terminfo on some sys‐
           tems), so it can run on a variety of terminals.  There  is  even  limited  support  for
           hardcopy  terminals.  (On a hardcopy terminal, lines which should be printed at the top
           of the screen are prefixed with a caret.)
    ...
    There are about 50 pgs of documentation for less. This documentation explains all the options, what each does, caveats, environment variables, and a number of in-app techniques.

    less and more are "pagers". Tools that show output a page at a time. Less has many features that more does not. Whenever I see people using 'cat', I freak out a little. 'cat' is nearly useless, since most commands will read a file or set of files automatically and less can do things that cat cannot. Honestly, I use 'tac' more often then I use 'cat'.
    Whenever I see something like this:
    Code:
    $ cat file |grep foo
    I die just a little. Just use
    Code:
    $ grep foo file
    and save 2 new processes from being started unnecessarily. Whenever someone uses 'cat', they probably shouldn't. I tend to use egrep over grep -E too.

    There are about 2,000 commands in /bin/. On my 20.04 system, /usr/bin and /bin are the same location. There's a symbolic link from /bin --> /usr/bin. Same for /sbin/ which only has about 500 commands. /sbin/ is full of commands used by administrators.

    Anyways, use the manpages. They are full if extremely useful information.

    There are always books too. When first starting out, having information provided in a logical order is really important, to prevent back-tracking to learn stuff that jumping around forces. http://linuxcommand.org/tlcl.php - read the first 250 or so pages to get a solid foundation. Be certain to do the exercises. Skipping them only hurts yourself. Try out commands and options that are related, but not specifically shown in the chapter. A solid understanding of users, groups, permissions, will go a long way to limiting confusion.

    Oh ... I used the apropos command. That searches all installed manpages on a system based on the query provided and returns a 1-line, short, summary of what the command does. The query term must exist in that 1-line summary.
    Code:
    $ apropos hdparm
    hdparm (8)           - get/set SATA/IDE device parameters
    hdparm.conf (5)      - Debian configuration file for hdparm
    That's pretty useful, yes? hdparm is a tool that can be used to tune performance for storage.
    man -k == apropos.

    Learning to use manpages is like learning to use google advanced searches. Manpages have a specific layout sorta like a newspaper article. The most important stuff comes first, but as we read farther down, more details are provided. Often, we just need the different options as a reminder. But sometimes we need more details for exactly what each option does.

    Code:
    $ man apt
    is a good manpage. We all use the 'apt' command to maintain our systems.
    Code:
    sudo apt update
    sudo apt full-upgrade
    sudo apt autoremove --purge
    Those 3 commands, run once a week are nearly all an Ubuntu desktop needs to stay patched. If daily or weekly backups are being done too, we are pretty solid with out systems maintenance.





    TheFU . iv'e been seeing your replies to posts for awhile now . considering myself as a newbie (being at linux for 2yrs), i feel i need to point out that even to me your posts ,although probably very informative, just is like sooo technical looking that in most cases i just give up reading thinking wow i can't even try all that . (i'm especially referring to the codes) it all look like greek lol.
    i'm not dissing you or trying to offend you , i'm merely stating that to a newbie (or someone else who doesn't know what he's doing) it all looks over the top / out of their reach/understanding.
    i know your trying to help a lot cause you have answers to most problems , all i'm saying maybe try and dumb it down a bit ?
    please don't take this the wrong way , this post is not intended that way




    EDIT: just now realise should have probably inboxed you , sorry mate
    Last edited by QIII; October 20th, 2020 at 07:21 PM. Reason: Removed acronym implying vulgarity

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Squidbilly-Land
    Beans
    Hidden!
    Distro
    Ubuntu

    Re: Where can I learn most used Ubuntu Commands?

    No offense taken. Everyone has a point of view to share. There's no way to know what will "click" for any OP. The different perspectives are good, I hope. Once an OP makes a clear choice on the direction, I either try to help with that direction or step back because I don't have the knowledge.

    Everyone here is trying to help.

    My assumption is that people are at different levels and can follow along or not, as they feel comfortable. manpages are very important, but nobody gets better at reading them without actually ... er ... reading some.

    The OP has posted a few other questions which I interpreted as showing a deeper knowledge than a typical person who is really new would have.

    When I've tried to "dumb it down", people don't like that either.

    apropos is how to search manpages - and shows a short description, as the OP requested.

    less/more are pagers, very helpful to see output from commands in a way that can be scrolled forwards and backwards and searched. less is like more, but better.
    The cat-grep stuff is just a rant because people often will use them to search log files and for some reason, beginning Linux books show that sort of command. I've seen people in my Linux classes use the cat ... | grep stuff much too often. Stamping that waste out is my personal jihad (holy quest).

    I looked at the link you provided above. Some of those commands are the same as I posted above, so I can only guess the manpage for less was the concern? manpages can be complex and ugly, but that doesn't mean Linux users shouldn't be using them when they seek to understand commands.
    Last edited by TheFu; October 20th, 2020 at 06:05 PM.

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •