10 tutorials to sharpen your command-line skills

The command-line interface (also known as the CLI) might be the most powerful yet intimidating aspect of Linux. It gives you unparalleled power and complete access to what the operating system can do for you.

Linux inherited the Unix design and its ability to compose more complex commands from simple tools. For example, you can combine the disk usage (du) command and the sort utility (sort) to get the size of the items on the current directory:

$ du -s *|sort -r -n

You get the picture (or the command, in this case).

With that in mind, I want to share a group of articles with you. These are Enable Sysadmin's top 10 articles about command-line skills published in 2021. Hopefully, you will learn a thing or two after reading them, and even better, you will put them into practice.

So dive in and get ready to have fun while learning. These are the top 10 command line articles of 2021.

Options and arguments

Adding arguments and options to your Bash scripts by David Both: Adding arguments and options to your Bash scripts will make them easier to use and less complex.

Commands to start using—or not

5 Linux commands I'm going to start using by Jeff Warnica: You will be surprised by how these five not-so-common commands can save you time.

5 Linux commands I never use by Ken Hess: A humorous point of view on the same five commands and why you wouldn't use them. Being a sysadmin or DevOps practitioner means you have to choose your tools carefully.

Privilege elevation

Exploring the differences between sudo and su commands in Linux by Bryant Son: If you want to elevate your privileges on Linux or to control how your users can do the same, then you must understand the differences between these two commands.

Manage text

3 must-know Linux commands for text manipulation by Roberto Nozaki: Sooner or later, you will use one of these or all of them. It's time to get ready and have some fun.

Network commands

7 Linux networking commands that every sysadmin should know by Evans Amoany: If tcpdump or mtr don't sound familiar, then you should read about them (and some more). You can thank me later.

[ Download the free Bash shell scripting cheat sheet. ]

Capture terminal sessions

How to capture terminal sessions and output with the Linux script command by Ken Hess: What if you're troubleshooting with an interactive shell session, and you need to capture the output? Read this article and learn how.

OpenSSL commands

6 OpenSSL command options that every sysadmin should know by Anthony Critelli: OpenSSL is well known for its power, functionality, and very complex options. This article demystifies some of these and makes you more productive.

The for loop

Introduction to Linux Bash programming: 5 `for` loop tips by Nathan Lager: Get ready to learn a few tricks and handy shortcuts.

The passwd command

Managing Linux users with the passwd command by Evans Amoany: This is a critical tool if you want to help keep your system secure.

What's on your list?

Mastering the command line saves time and provides the detailed information sysadmins need. Do you have more great command-line tools? Write about your favorites and see if your contribution makes 2022's top 10 list.