Linux Command-Line Tricks That Will Make You Feel Like a Power User 🚀
Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions. - Dalai Lama
14 Linux Command-Line Tricks That Will Make You Feel Like a Power User 🚀
If you spend any time in the terminal, you know there’s always something new to learn. Whether you’re a developer, sysadmin, or just a curious tinkerer, mastering a few clever Linux commands can save you hours and make you look like a wizard to your peers. Here are 14 practical, sometimes surprising, and always useful command-line tricks that will level up your Linux game!
1. Quickly Serve Any Directory Over HTTP
Ever needed to share files with a colleague or test a static website? You can spin up a web server in seconds:
python3 -m http.server 8080
Just point your browser to http://localhost:8080 and you’re live!
2. Find the 10 Largest Files in a Directory Tree
Running out of disk space? Find the culprits fast:
find . -type f -exec du -h {} + | sort -rh | head -n 10
This command lists the 10 biggest files, sorted by size, so you know what to clean up.
3. Show Running Processes as a Tree
Visualize process relationships with:
pstree -p
It’s like a family tree for your running programs!
4. Repeat the Last Command with sudo
Typed a command and forgot sudo? No need to retype:
sudo !!
This reruns your last command with superuser privileges.
5. Show Only Directories (Not Files)
Want a clean list of just directories?
ls -d */
Perfect for scripting or just keeping things tidy.
6. Count Files by Extension
How many Python files are in your project?
find . -type f -name "*.py" | wc -l
Swap out *.py for any extension you like.
7. Find and Delete Empty Files
Clear out those zero-byte files:
find . -type f -empty -delete
A quick way to keep your workspace clean.
8. Monitor File Changes in Real Time
Watch logs or any file as it grows:
tail -f /var/log/syslog
Great for debugging or monitoring.
9. Show Top Memory or CPU Consuming Processes
Find resource hogs instantly:
ps aux --sort=-%mem | head -n 11 # Top memory users
ps aux --sort=-%cpu | head -n 11 # Top CPU users
10. Find Files Modified Recently
Track down what’s changed in the last hour or day:
find . -type f -mmin -60 # Modified in last 60 minutes
find . -type f -mtime -1 # Modified in last 1 day
11. Get Your Public IP Address
Need to know your external IP?
curl ifconfig.me
Or try curl -s https://ipinfo.io/ip for another source.
12. Show All Open Network Ports
See what’s listening on your system:
sudo ss -tulnp
A modern replacement for netstat.
13. Find and Replace Text Recursively
Bulk update text across many files:
grep -rl "oldtext" . | xargs sed -i 's/oldtext/newtext/g'
Be careful—this is powerful!
14. Generate a Random Password
Need a strong password in a pinch?
openssl rand -base64 16
Instant, secure, and ready to use.
Bonus: Combine Commands for Superpowers
Want to find all .azw3 files and get their total size?
find . -type f -name "*.azw3" -exec du -ch {} + | grep total$
This gives you a neat summary at the end.
Final Thoughts
The Linux command line is a treasure trove of productivity boosters. Try these out, tweak them for your workflow, and don’t be afraid to explore further. Every command you master is another tool in your digital toolbox!
What’s your favorite Linux trick? Share it in the comments below!
