A while back, we listed 8 Useful and Interesting Bash Prompts. That turned out to be one of our most popular articles, and still generates user response and feedback. This time we’ve found a few more gems, as well as some handy tips and tricks for having the coolest shell prompt on the proverbial block.
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More Useful and Interesting Bash Prompts
By | September 19, 2011 | 2 Comments
The Beginner Guide to Writing Linux Shell Scripts
By | June 30, 2011 | 2 Comments
For starters – let’s clarify that headline. Linux has more than one possible shell, and scripting any of them is a subject that can easily pack a full book. What we’re going to be doing is covering the basic elements of a bash script. If you don’t know what shell you’re using, it’s probably bash. The process will be familiar to anyone who’s worked with DOS’s bat files, it’s essentially the same concept. You just put a series of commands into a text file and run it. The difference comes from the fact that bash scripts can do a LOT more than batch files. In fact, bash scripting isn’t all that far from a full-fledged language like Python. Today we’ll be covering a few basics like input, output, arguments and variables.
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How to Manage Ruby Installations Easily with RVM
By | February 22, 2011 | Leave a Comment
Those unfamiliar with software development may be surprised at how many so-called grey areas there can be. Even if you know you want to write, say, a Rails app, you’ve got several more specific decisions to make. What database should you use? Which version of Ruby? Which gems should be installed? Will it conflict with any other Ruby versions or gem sets? RVM, the Ruby Version Manager, can take care of that. RVM allows you to install, manage, and switch between Ruby versions on the fly so you can develop and test software in multiple Ruby versions with no hassle. This guide will show you how to install RVM on Ubuntu and use it to manage your Ruby environment.
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How to Supercharge Your Shell with Bashish [Linux]
By | January 27, 2011 |
If you’re a Linux (or even Mac) user, and you’ve never toyed with your shell prompt, you might not realize just how useful a good prompt can be. Sure, it can show your user and host names, and perhaps the current directory, but a really good prompt can do a whole lot more. Those who spend a LOT of time in the terminal might even want to take it a step further and move into a custom semi-graphical shell with all kinds of bells and whistles. If you’re one such shell enthusiast, then check out Bashish – a way to theme your command prompt. Yep, you read that right.
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10 Useful Tools, Websites And Tricks to Help You Master Linux Command
By | November 9, 2010 |
When it comes to Linux command, it is always a love and hate affair. Newbies tend to shun away from the command line as much as possible while the intermediate to expert users who are used to it will swear by it, and boost how much faster and more productive they have become due to the command line.
Regardless which camp you belong, as long as you are using Linux (doesn’t matter which distro), you are sure to hit the terminal and type some commands into it at some point of time. Why not embrace it and take the opportunity to learn something new?
Here are some websites, tools and tricks that you can make use of to learn Linux command line. This is in no way a comprehensive list, but will be a good start for those who wish to get started.
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How to Save and Share Bash Settings Using Pastebin
By | January 5, 2010 |
As someone who earns part of my living by trying out Linux distros, I reinstall a LOT. Even my favorites rarely last longer than a few months before they’re wiped away to make room for something new. Invariably, one of the very first things I do after any installation is to tweak my shell to include a few options, aliases, and of course my preferred prompt. After rebuilding my .bashrc file dozens of times, I began to think there had to be a better way. I began looking for a place online to store my .bashrc file, with all my settings exactly the way I want them. This proved more difficult than I had expected. To do this properly, I needed a website that was free, did not require registration, would hold my file permanently, allow unlimited public downloads, give it an URL I could remember, and allow me to make changes to the file without having to re-upload. This was a tall order, but Pastebin.com fit the bill.
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8 Useful and Interesting Bash Prompts
By | September 4, 2009 |
Many people don’t think of their command prompt as a particularly useful thing, or even pay it much attention. To me, this is a bit of a shame, as a useful prompt can change the way you use the command line. Well I’ve scoured the Interwebs looking for the best, most useful, or sometimes most amusing bash prompts. Here, in no particular order, are the ones I’d be most likely to use on my computers.
Note – to use any of these prompts, you can copy & paste the “PS1=” line directly into your terminal. To make the change permanent, paste the line to the end of your ~/.bashrc file.
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How to Get a Quake-style Drop-down Terminal in Linux
By | June 4, 2009 |
A lot of games out there have some form of command prompt, often just for entering cheat codes. You know the type – you hit some function key and a bar drops down from the top of the screen letting you enter commands or codes or whatever else. Well some clever folks have taken that design and applied it to the command prompt in your Linux desktop. You can get a fully featured, skinnable terminal with split-screen views and all at the touch of a button. Yakuake is just such a program. It’s been around for a few years but has remained below the radar for most Linux users.
Mastering the Bash History
By | May 20, 2009 |
The Bourne Again Shell, better known as bash, is the default for most Linux distributions. It’s extremely powerful as far as command shells go, and holds all kinds of nifty tricks for those willing to learn. One of the best features is, in my opinion, the command history system.
There are many options to use with the bash history, some of them I use nearly every time I open a command shell. Today I’ll be covering some of the most useful aspects of the history, but I certainly won’t be able to cover them all.
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Making The Linux Command Line A Little Friendlier
By | March 19, 2009 |
One thing that gets debated over and over in Linux is the need for the command line. Many say that you should never need to access a command prompt to get things done, others are of the opinion that the power of the Linux shell is one of the things that makes Linux so great. While I would fall into the latter category, I can certainly understand why people can get frustrated with having to learn complex and seemingly obscure commands to get their computer to work right. Even if you hate the command line, you often have no choice but to open it once in a while to get the job done. Today, we’ll be covering various ways to make it a little easier to navigate.
