The Linux command line is a powerful tool in the hands of developers, sysadmins, and power users. While many are familiar with basic commands like ls, cd, and grep, there exists a treasure trove of lesser-known utilities that can significantly enhance productivity and streamline workflows. In this post, we’ll delve into some of these hidden gems and provide examples of how they can be used.

1. ncdu - Disk Usage Analyzer

What It Is

ncdu (NCurses Disk Usage) is a disk usage analyzer with an ncurses interface. It provides a quick way to see what is consuming space on your disk.

Usage Example

To analyze disk usage of the current directory:

ncdu

To analyze disk usage of a specific directory:

ncdu /path/to/directory

Benefits

ncdu provides an interactive and visual representation of disk usage, making it easier to identify large files and directories. It’s more intuitive and faster than traditional commands like du for visualizing space usage.

2. htop - Interactive Process Viewer

What It Is

htop is an interactive process viewer for Unix systems. It is a more user-friendly and visually appealing alternative to the top command.

Usage Example

Simply run:

htop

Benefits

htop allows you to scroll horizontally and vertically to see all processes and their full command lines. It provides a color-coded, real-time view of system metrics, such as CPU, memory, and swap usage, and allows you to kill processes without typing their PID.

3. bat - A Cat Clone with Wings

What It Is

bat is a clone of cat with syntax highlighting and Git integration.

Usage Example

To display a file with syntax highlighting:

bat filename

Benefits

bat enhances the readability of code and text files with syntax highlighting. It also integrates with Git to show file modifications and provides line numbers by default, making it a powerful replacement for cat.

4. ripgrep - A Faster Grep

What It Is

ripgrep (or rg) is a line-oriented search tool that recursively searches your current directory for a regex pattern, skipping hidden and binary files by default.

Usage Example

To search for a pattern in the current directory:

rg pattern

To search for a pattern in a specific file:

rg pattern filename

Benefits

ripgrep is faster than grep and respects your .gitignore file, which makes it an excellent choice for searching through codebases. Its speed and ease of use make it a favorite among developers.

5. tldr - Simplified and Community-Driven Man Pages

What It Is

tldr stands for “Too Long; Didn’t Read.” It provides simplified, community-driven man pages with practical examples.

Usage Example

To get a simplified manual for a command:

tldr tar

Benefits

tldr simplifies the often complex and verbose man pages into easy-to-understand summaries with practical examples, making it quicker to learn and use new commands.

6. fzf - Command-Line Fuzzy Finder

What It Is

fzf is a general-purpose command-line fuzzy finder. It can be used to search and filter files, command history, processes, and more.

Usage Example

To find a file in the current directory:

fzf

To search through command history:

history | fzf

Benefits

fzf enhances command-line efficiency by providing an interactive interface for searching and filtering through various lists. Its versatility and speed make it an indispensable tool for power users.

7. exa - Modern Replacement for ls

What It Is

exa is a modern replacement for ls, with more features and better defaults.

Usage Example

To list files in the current directory:

exa

To list files with detailed information:

exa -l

Benefits

exa offers a more readable and colorful output compared to ls. It supports features like tree views, Git integration, and extended file attributes, making file exploration more pleasant and informative.

8. httpie - User-Friendly HTTP Client

What It Is

httpie is a user-friendly HTTP client that provides a more intuitive interface than curl.

Usage Example

To make a GET request:

http GET https://api.github.com/users/octocat

To make a POST request:

http POST https://api.github.com/repos octocat/Hello-World name="Hello-World" description="This is your first repository"

Benefits

httpie simplifies interacting with web services and APIs by providing a readable output format. Its command syntax is intuitive, making it easier to use for developers and testers.

Conclusion

The Linux command line is filled with powerful tools that can enhance productivity and streamline workflows. By incorporating these lesser-known utilities into your daily tasks, you can take full advantage of the command-line environment. Whether you are a developer, sysadmin, or just a Linux enthusiast, these tools will help you work more efficiently and effectively.