Training/Linux - command line

Introduction

This represents a series of teaching pages to allow you to learn more about Viper's Linux command line interface

Command Line

Like other operating systems Linux does have a window’s type environment too called X and hopefully in the future its successor Wayland. (Linux refers to X and Wayland with the term Display Server). However, with VIPER the vast majority of work will be carried out on the command line.

The command line in Linux is referred to as a shell. The shell is a program that allows the user to interact with Linux at the command line. In true Linux style there are a few different ones to choose from, however the one used predominantly is BASH. The name BASH is an acronym for “Bourne Again SHell”, a reference to BASH is an enhanced replacement for sh, the original Unix shell program written by Steve Bourne.

Man pages

This will explain the use of man pages (also called manual pages) on Linux. Most Linux files and commands have pretty good man pages to explain their use. Type man followed by a command (for which you want help) and start reading. Press q to quit the man page. See below:

dbird@viper:~$ man whois - shows manual page for the command whois

dbird@viper:~$ man syslog.config - shows the manual page for a configuration file

dbird@viper:~$ man syslogd - show the manual for a daemon (background program)

dbird@viper:~$ man –k syslog - an apropos which shows a list of available man pages with this string contained within it