Linux coding hacks are a great thing. They are even better when they are quick, useful, and a little bit of fun. At BETSOL, a vast majority of our engineers use Linux daily and some of them have risen to the status of shortcut ninjas. Every keyboard shortcut matters to them. There is a lot to love about the operating system, but for newer users, it can be tricky to master.
Hacks can make life a lot easier for a Linux user. According to Opensource.com “Linux is the best-known and most-used open-source operating system. As an operating system, Linux is software that sits underneath all of the other software on a computer, receiving requests from those programs and relaying these requests to the computer’s hardware.”
We love Linux for its opensource roots and the fact that most of the servers around the world run on Linux! It is an operating system which can certainly claim the title of running the world’s internet. Its powerful, nimble, light, and most important, flexible to do almost anything.
In this blog, we want to help you get started with 3 interesting Linux commands, which can help you with your journey of becoming a shortcut ninja.
Watch the Video to See Our Best Linux Coding Hacks
Linux Coding Hack 1: View Project Structure
As a developer, when you work on large projects, it’s important to clearly understand the project structure. The function called Tree is used precisely for times like this.
All of the project’s work is normally stored in folders. To understand the structure of those folders, you can use a command on Linux called tree.
All you to do is type “tree” on the Linux console and you are presented with the folder structure for that specific folder.
Linux Coding Hack 2: Find Command
The second hack is how to use the find command.
Forgetting the location of a specific file is very common. Thus, you can use the find command which comes built-in with Linux.
You simply need to type
"find . -name index.js"
The file you are searching for, in this case, “index.js” will reveal its location if it’s available in that folder.
Linux Coding Hack 3: Have Fun with Code
Coding isn’t about being serious all the time. It’s also about playing around and having fun. Let us try installing a package that runs a Steam Locomotive by your screen.
- On the terminal, type sudo apt-get sl to install the program which displays a steam locomotive
sudo apt-get sl
- Once its installed, type sl you will have your very own steam locomotive running in your terminal window.
Notice, we use apt-get. It is a package manager that allows us to manage all programs installed on Linux. It is a shift away from the way Windows manages programs where each program has to be updated individually.
What’s Next for Linux Users?
We hope these hacks are not only useful but also help you to have a little bit of fun with learning and using Linux.
The great thing about Linux is that there is a vast community out there that is always willing to share useful tips and tricks to help you become a master. Be sure to share your own Linux hacks in the comments below and let us know what other hacks you would be interested in learning.
Also be sure to check out our blog: How to Make Software Deployments Easier