When you are new to Linux, you can make learning Linux easier by using a Linux desktop. This is because it’s easier to run Linux software programs and run Linux commands from a Linux desktop.

To run Linux commands from a desktop, you need to open a terminal emulation window (a.k.a. Linux terminal or Linux console). Once you’ve opened a Linux terminal, the Linux command line prompt appears and you can run Linux commands. Linux Tips: The Linux command line prompt is also known as “CLI”, for “command line interface”. And Linux commands are also known as “Linux terminal commands” and “Linux console commands”.

With over 130 different Linux distributions (versions) to choose from, running several different Linux desktops, it may seem confusing to open a Linux terminal. But there are basically three easy ways to open a Linux terminal and get to the Linux command line prompt - so you can learn how to use Linux commands.

3 Ways to Open a Linux Terminal Emulation Window (Terminal / Console) from the Linux Desktop

1. Look for an icon that looks like a computer screen and click on it. Some desktops don’t have this icon.

2. Right-click on an empty space on the desktop and a menu will appear. Look for an item on the menu named “Linux terminal”, “Linux console”, or similar - and select this item.

3. Look through all the menus (and submenus) on the desktop for the words “Linux terminal”, “Linux console”, or similar, - and select this item.

After you’ve opened a terminal emulation window, you’ll see a Linux command line prompt. This prompt may appear like this ]$ or it may look different on your system.

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Linux Commands - The great thing about Linux commands is that they are virtually identical from one Linux distribution (version) to another. So the way the real pros do Linux administration is to work at the Linux command line and run Linux commands.

Learning how to run a Linux command can be very difficult for someone new to Linux, so here are some Linux tips that will help you to learn how to use Linux commands when working at the Linux command line prompt. There are three main parts of a Linux command:

1. the Linux command name

2. options that can be used with the Linux command

3. the “item(s)” that the Linux command is being run “on”

When you run a Linux command, spaces are used between: the Linux command name, the command options and the “item” the command is being run “on”. The “item” could be a Linux directory, file, user or some other Linux software component.

For example, you run the Linux command named ls (for list) “on” a Linux directory to see a list of files in the directory. You run the Linux command named rm (remove) “on” a Linux directory to remove the directory from the Linux file system.

To run a Linux command, you type in the name of the command, and any other parts of the command, such as options, and press the Enter key.

You can see an example of the Linux command that is used to create a new Linux user below. The useradd command is being run “on” the bthatcher user name to create this Linux user.

Linux Tips: Linux commands are run at the Linux command line prompt and this prompt is shown as ]# at the left of the command. You don’t type in the prompt, you type the Linux command at the right of the prompt.

Linux Tips: The Linux command prompt may also appear as: ]$ or as another symbol, instead of # or $.

]# useradd -c “Becky Thatcher” bthatcher

This Linux command creates a new Linux user named bthatcher with the full name of “Becky Thatcher”. The -c (for comment) option is used with this command to add the full name as a comment to the Linux user name of bthatcher.

Written by Clyde Boom.

When you are a new Linux user and trying to get Linux training, you need to learn how to use Linux commands. What you most often need is a Linux example showing you how to use a Linux command.

And you will often hear seasoned Linux users say (over and over again) “just see the Linux man page” for a Linux command. This has become a quick and easy way out - of really trying to explain how to use Linux. Linux man pages are useful if you already know Linux, but extremely frustrating if you are new to the Linux OS (operating system).

Linux Tips: Linux man pages are practically useless for someone new to Linux. In fact, they’re almost as easy as trying to read hieroglyphics. Great for the ancient Egyptians - lots of nice pictures, but really hard to read.

Here’s Why Man Pages Don’t Work for Someone New to Linux - And What You Can Do About It

“Man” stands for “manual”, as in “Linux manual” or “Linux software manual”. You run the Linux man command to display the contents of a man page (file).

So, if you need help on a Linux command (or Linux software programs), you just run the man command and get help on the command. This gives you instant Linux online help. Sounds great - but it’s not great for a new Linux user.

And it would be great if the people that knew how to use Linux, didn’t expect the people that are new to Linux to understand man pages!

Here’s how to run the Linux man command and get help on the grep command:

]$ man grep

This displays the contents of the Linux man page (file) for the grep command.

Linux Tips: There are several options of the man command that can be used to display information on multiple man pages. But hey, man - how do I get help on the man command? You guessed it - just run: man man

Now, the grep command is pretty amazing in what it can do. It has lots of options and different ways of getting tons of useful information from a Linux system - but you’d never know it from looking at the man page.

The man page for any Linux command just shows you: a vague description of the command, a cryptic statement showing how to run the command, and a long alphabetic listing of the options for the command. There’s no way of knowing which options are the most useful and most commonly used.

And the worst part is that it’s almost impossible to find a Linux example of a command. In the thousands of man pages, there are almost never any examples of how to use a Linux command. And seeing examples of a Linux command (and then running the command) - is the best way to learn how to use Linux.

Written by Clyde Boom.