The command line can be daunting for new Linux users. Part of that is remembering the multitude of commands available. After all, in order to use the command line effectively, you need to know the commands.
Unfortunately, there’s no getting around the fact that you need to learn the commands, but there are some tools that can help you out when you’re getting started.
History
The first thing you can use to remember commands that you’ve already used is your own command line history. Most Linux shells, including the most common default, Bash, create a history file that lists your past commands. For Bash, you can find it at “/home/<username>/.bash_history.”
It’s a plain text file, so you can open it in any text editor and loop back through or even search.
Apropos
There’s actually a command that helps you find other commands. It’s called “apropos,” and it helps you find the appropriate command to complete the action you search or. For example, if you need to know the command to list the contents of a directory, you can run the following command:
apropos "list directory"
There’s a catch, though. It’s very literal. Add an “s” to “directory,” and try again.
apropos "list directories"
It doesn’t work. What apropos does is search through a list of commands and the accompanying descriptions. If your search doesn’t match the description, it won’t pick up the command as a result.
There is something else you can do. By using the -a flag, you can add together search terms in a more flexible way. Try this command:
apropos "match pattern"
You’d think it’d turn up something, like grep? Instead, you get nothing. Again, apropos is being too literal. Now, try separating the words and using the -a flag.
apropos "match" -a "pattern"
Suddenly, you have many of the results that you’d expect.
apropos is a great tool, but you always need to be aware of its quirks.
ZSH
ZSH isn’t really a tool for remembering commands. It’s actually an alternative shell. You can substitute ZSH for Bash and use it as your command line shell. ZSH includes an autocorrect feature that catches you if you enter in a command wrong or misspell something. If you enable it, it’ll ask you if you meant something close. You can continue to use the command line as you normally would with ZSH, but you get an extra safety net and some other really nice features, too. The easiest way to get the most of ZSH is with Oh-My-ZSH.
Cheat Sheet
The last, and probably simplest, option is to use a cheat sheet. There are plenty available online like this one that you can use to look up commands quickly.
You can actually even find them in image form and set one as your desktop wallpaper for quick reference.
This isn’t the best solution for actually remembering the commands, but when you’re starting out, it can save you from doing a search online every time you don’t remember a command.
Rely on these methods when you’re learning, and eventually you’ll find yourself referring to them less and less. No one remembers everything, so don’t feel bad if you occasionally forget or run into something you haven’t seen before. That’s what these resources and, of course, the Internet are there for.
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