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2023 Boost - Week 4#

📺 https://youtu.be/SPoqW1CMEhY

Let's do this again. Weeks 2 and 3 were a little harder than most beginners might be able to handle. Most Linux users will be using a Linux that has been installed already. The Boost is primarily intended for them (not admins and hackers, who are also users). So we've prepared a quick-start with an existing Linux container image. Here's how to get it and another take at how to get going without having to setup anything.

  1. What concepts do all users need to understand?
  2. What does it mean to be a Linux "user" (vs "admin" or "hacker")?

  3. Create a local Linux container for the Boost

    podman run -it --hostname skilstak --name boost -v shared://shared ghcr.io/rwxrob/ws-skilstak

  4. What is the difference between a terminal and a command line?

  5. What do the parts of the prompt mean?
  6. How do I clear the screen?
    • Do not depend on Control-L
    • clear (or c)
  7. How do I see where I am?
    • pwd
  8. How do I see everything in this directory?
    • ls -al
  9. How do get help information about a command?
    • CMD -h or CMD --help
    • man CMD
    • help CMD
    • apropos KEYWORD (if you want)
  10. What is a directory and what is a file?
  11. What are special directories?
    • current: .
    • parent: ..
    • previous: -
    • home: ~
  12. How do I change directories?
    • cd DIR
    • cd -
    • cd ..
    • cd
  13. How do I see what's in a file?
    • cat FILE [FILE]
    • tac FILE [FILE]
    • more FILE
    • less FILE
    • head FILE
    • tail FILE
  14. What is a file descriptor and how do I use them?
    • Understand origins of TTY (teletype machines)
    • standard input (/dev/stdin, 0)
    • standard output (/dev/stdout, 1)
    • standard error (/dev/stderr, 2)
  15. What is a pipe?
    • ls -al | more
  16. How do write output of a command to a file?
    • ls -al > /tmp/foo
  17. How do I append command output to end of a file?
    • echo some >> /tmp/foo
    • echo thing >> /tmp/foo
  18. How do I zero out an existing or new file?
    • > /tmp/foo
  19. How do I create a new file (or update time changed)?
    • touch /tmp/foo
  20. How do I remove a file?
    • rm FILE
  21. How do I find files with a keyword in the name?
    • find . -name '*vim*' 2> /dev/null
  22. How do I send stderr to stdout as well?
    • find / -name '*md*' 1> /tmp/foo 2> /dev/stdout
    • find / -name '*md*' > /tmp/foo 2> /dev/stdout
    • find / -name '*md*' > /tmp/foo 2>&1
    • find / -name '*md*' &> /tmp/foo