MD. HABIBULLAH SHARIF

Posted on Jan 12

The Linux Power User Handbook: From Daily Driver to Productivity Machine

#linux #productivity #commandline #bash

Your complete reference guide for mastering Linux productivity, shortcuts, hidden features, and advanced workflows

1️⃣ Day-to-Day Survival Kit

🌅 Morning Routine: First 5 Minutes

Quick System Health Check

# The Ultimate Morning One-Liner
uptime && df -h / && free -h && sensors | grep temp

# What you get:
# - System uptime
# - Disk space usage
# - RAM status
# - CPU temperature

Update Everything in One Command

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y && sudo apt autoremove -y && flatpak update -y && snap refresh

# Arch-based
yay -Syu --noconfirm

# Create an alias for this:
echo "alias update-all='sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y && sudo apt autoremove -y && flatpak update -y && snap refresh'" >> ~/.bashrc

Launch Your Work Environment Instantly

# Create a startup script
nano ~/startup.sh

# Add your apps:
#!/bin/bash
firefox &
code ~/projects &
spotify &
slack &

# Make it executable
chmod +x ~/startup.sh

# Run it
./startup.sh

📁 Essential File Operations

Copy with Progress Bar (never wonder if it's frozen again)

# Install rsync if not available
sudo apt install rsync

# Copy with progress
rsync -ah --progress source_folder/ destination_folder/

# Want even better? Use 'pv'
sudo apt install pv
tar czf - large_folder | pv > backup.tar.gz

Find Files Lightning Fast

# Find by name (case-insensitive)
find ~ -iname "*document*"

# Find files modified in last 7 days
find ~ -type f -mtime -7

# Find large files (over 100MB)
find ~ -type f -size +100M

# The BETTER way - use 'fd' (faster than find)
sudo apt install fd-find
fd document                    # Simple and fast
fd -e pdf                      # Find all PDFs
fd -t f -s '>100M'            # Files larger than 100MB

Search Inside Files

# Basic grep
grep -r "search_term" /path/to/directory

# Better with colors and line numbers
grep -rn --color=auto "search_term" /path

# The BEST way - use 'ripgrep' (30x faster)
sudo apt install ripgrep
rg "search_term"              # Automatic .gitignore respect
rg -i "case_insensitive"      # Case insensitive
rg -t py "import"             # Only in Python files

🔥 Quick Fixes for Common Problems

WiFi Acting Up?

# Quick restart network
sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

# Or nuclear option
sudo nmcli radio wifi off && sleep 2 && sudo nmcli radio wifi on

System Sluggish?

# Clear memory cache (safe)
sync; echo 3 | sudo tee /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches

# Find memory hogs
ps aux --sort=-%mem | head -10

# Find CPU hogs
ps aux --sort=-%cpu | head -10

# Interactive way
htop  # or install with: sudo apt install htop

Disk Full?

# Find what's eating your space
du -sh ~/* | sort -hr | head -10

# Better visualization with ncdu
sudo apt install ncdu
ncdu ~  # Interactive disk usage explorer

🖥️ GNOME Desktop (Ubuntu Default)

System Navigation

Shortcut	Action	Power User Tip
`Super`	Activities overview	Your command center - use it!
`Super + A`	Show applications	Faster than clicking
`Super + V`	Show notification list	Check messages without leaving work
`Alt + Tab`	Switch windows	Hold Alt, press Tab multiple times
`Alt + \``	Switch between windows of same app	Game changer for developers
`Super + Tab`	Switch applications	Different from Alt+Tab
`Super + PgUp/PgDn`	Switch workspaces	Multi-desktop mastery
`Ctrl + Alt + Up/Down`	Move between workspaces	Alternative method

Window Management

Shortcut	Action	Why It's Awesome
`Super + Left/Right`	Snap window to side	Instant 50/50 split
`Super + Up`	Maximize window	One key, full screen
`Super + Down`	Restore/minimize	Undo maximize
`Super + H`	Hide window	Clean desk, focused mind
`Alt + F4`	Close window	Classic but essential
`Alt + F8`	Resize window with keyboard	Mouse-free window sizing
`Alt + F10`	Maximize/restore	Toggle maximize
`Alt + Space`	Window menu	Access all window options

Application Shortcuts

Shortcut	Action	Customization Tip
`Super + 1-9`	Open favorite app (by position)	Arrange your dock strategically
`Ctrl + Alt + T`	Open terminal	Most used shortcut ever
`Super + L`	Lock screen	Leaving desk? Lock it!
`Alt + F2`	Run command dialog	Quick app launcher
`Ctrl + Alt + Del`	Power off menu	Windows muscle memory works

⌨️ Terminal Shortcuts (Bash)

These will change your life

Navigation

Shortcut	Action	Example
`Ctrl + A`	Jump to line start	Instead of holding ←
`Ctrl + E`	Jump to line end	Instead of holding →
`Ctrl + U`	Delete from cursor to start	Quick line clear
`Ctrl + K`	Delete from cursor to end	Erase the rest
`Ctrl + W`	Delete word before cursor	Word-by-word deletion
`Alt + B`	Move backward one word	Skip words, not letters
`Alt + F`	Move forward one word	Speed navigation
`Ctrl + XX`	Toggle between line start and cursor	Genius trick

History & Search

Shortcut	Action	Power User Secret
`Ctrl + R`	Reverse search history	MOST IMPORTANT SHORTCUT
`Ctrl + G`	Exit search	Escape from Ctrl+R
`Ctrl + P`	Previous command	Alternative to ↑
`Ctrl + N`	Next command	Alternative to ↓
`!!`	Repeat last command	Type this literally
`!$`	Last argument of previous command	Saves so much typing
`!*`	All arguments of previous command	Copy all args
`!xyz`	Run last command starting with "xyz"	`!git` runs last git command

Process Control

Shortcut	Action	When to Use
`Ctrl + C`	Kill current process	Stuck command? Kill it
`Ctrl + Z`	Suspend current process	Pause, don't kill
`Ctrl + D`	Exit terminal/EOF	Clean exit
`Ctrl + L`	Clear screen	Keep history, clean view

Advanced Tricks

`bash

Use Ctrl+R to search history

Press Ctrl+R, type "git", it finds "git commit -m 'fix bug'"

Press Enter to execute, or Right arrow to edit first

Use !$ to reuse last argument

mkdir /var/www/myproject
cd !$ # Automatically becomes: cd /var/www/myproject

Use !! to fix forgotten sudo

apt update

"Permission denied"

sudo !! # Becomes: sudo apt update
`

📝 VS Code Shortcuts for Linux

Shortcut	Action	Why You Need It
`Ctrl + P`	Quick file open	Faster than file explorer
`Ctrl + Shift + P`	Command palette	Access everything
`Ctrl + B`	Toggle sidebar	More screen space
`Ctrl + \``	Toggle terminal	Coding + terminal in one
`Alt + Up/Down`	Move line up/down	Reorder code instantly
`Ctrl + D`	Multi-cursor on next match	Edit multiple at once
`Ctrl + /`	Toggle line comment	Quick commenting
`Ctrl + Shift + K`	Delete line	No selection needed
`Ctrl + Shift + F`	Search in files	Project-wide search
`F2`	Rename symbol	Refactor safely

🌐 Firefox Shortcuts (Linux-specific)

Shortcut	Action	Pro Tip
`Ctrl + T`	New tab	Basic but essential
`Ctrl + Shift + T`	Reopen closed tab	Saved my life 1000 times
`Ctrl + L`	Focus address bar	Type URL immediately
`Ctrl + K`	Focus search bar	Quick search
`Ctrl + Tab`	Next tab	Cycle through tabs
`Ctrl + 1-8`	Jump to tab number	Go to specific tab
`Ctrl + 9`	Last tab	Skip to end
`Alt + Left/Right`	Back/forward	History navigation
`F6`	Cycle through frames	Web dev trick

3️⃣ Terminal Mastery: Beyond Basic Commands

🎯 The Commands That Separate Beginners from Power Users

`tmux` - Terminal Multiplexer (Life-Changing)

Why You Need It: One terminal, infinite possibilities. Split panes, multiple windows, session persistence.

`bash

Install

sudo apt install tmux

Basic usage

tmux # Start new session
tmux new -s mysession # Named session
tmux attach -t mysession # Reattach to session
tmux ls # List sessions

Inside tmux (Ctrl+B then):

Split horizontally: Ctrl+B then "

Split vertically: Ctrl+B then %

Navigate panes: Ctrl+B then arrow keys

New window: Ctrl+B then c

Switch windows: Ctrl+B then 0-9

Detach: Ctrl+B then d

Real-World Scenario:
`bash

SSH into server

ssh user@server

Start tmux session for long-running task

tmux new -s deployment

Run deployment (takes 2 hours)

./deploy_to_production.sh

Detach (Ctrl+B then d) - close laptop, go home

Later, SSH back in

tmux attach -t deployment

Your deployment is still running!

`fzf` - Fuzzy Finder (Will Blow Your Mind)

The Game Changer: Interactive fuzzy search for EVERYTHING.

`bash

Install

sudo apt install fzf

Basic fuzzy find

fzf

Search command history

history | fzf

Search and cd into directory

cd $(find ~ -type d | fzf)

Search and edit file

vim $(fzf)

Add to .bashrc for Ctrl+R superpower

echo 'source /usr/share/doc/fzf/examples/key-bindings.bash' >> ~/.bashrc

Now Ctrl+R uses fzf instead!

Power User Setup:
`bash

Add these to ~/.bashrc

export FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS='--height 40% --layout=reverse --border'

Search and kill process

alias killit='kill $(ps aux | fzf | awk "{print \$2}")'

Quick git commit browser

alias glog='git log --oneline --color | fzf --ansi'
`

`ag` (The Silver Searcher) - Grep on Steroids

`bash

Install

sudo apt install silversearcher-ag

Search in current directory (ignores .gitignore)

ag "search_term"

Case insensitive

ag -i "search_term"

Only show filenames

ag -l "search_term"

Search in specific file types

ag --python "search_term"
`

`bat` - Better `cat`

`bash

Install

sudo apt install bat

On Ubuntu it's called 'batcat' due to name conflict

batcat filename.py

Syntax highlighting, line numbers, git integration!

Make it default cat

echo "alias cat='batcat'" >> ~/.bashrc
`

`exa` - Better `ls`

`bash

Install

sudo apt install exa

Better ls with colors and icons

exa -la

Tree view with icons

exa --tree --level=2 --icons

Git status in listings

exa -la --git

Make it default

echo "alias ls='exa --icons'" >> ~/.bashrc
echo "alias ll='exa -la --icons --git'" >> ~/.bashrc
`

🔄 Command Chaining & Piping Mastery

`bash

Run commands sequentially (always)

command1 ; command2 ; command3

Run only if previous succeeds (AND)

command1 && command2 && command3

Run only if previous fails (OR)

command1 || command2

Pipe output to next command

ps aux | grep firefox | awk '{print $2}' | xargs kill

Redirect output to file

ls -la > file_list.txt # Overwrite
ls -la >> file_list.txt # Append

Redirect errors

command 2> errors.log # Only errors
command > output.log 2>&1 # Both output and errors

Discard output

command > /dev/null 2>&1 # Send to void
`

🧰 One-Liners That Look Like Magic

`bash

Find and replace in multiple files

find . -type f -name "*.txt" -exec sed -i 's/old/new/g' {} +

Download entire website

wget -r -p -k -E https://example.com

Monitor file changes in real-time

watch -n 1 'ls -lh /path/to/file'

Create directory and cd into it in one command

mkcd() { mkdir -p "$1" && cd "$1"; }

Extract any archive

extract() {
if [ -f $1 ]; then
case $1 in
*.tar.bz2) tar xjf $1 ;;
*.tar.gz) tar xzf $1 ;;
*.bz2) bunzip2 $1 ;;
*.rar) unrar e $1 ;;
*.gz) gunzip $1 ;;
*.tar) tar xf $1 ;;
*.tbz2) tar xjf $1 ;;
*.tgz) tar xzf $1 ;;
*.zip) unzip $1 ;;
*.Z) uncompress $1 ;;
*.7z) 7z x $1 ;;
*) echo "'$1' cannot be extracted via extract()" ;;
esac
else
echo "'$1' is not a valid file"
fi
}

Quick web server in current directory

python3 -m http.server 8000

Generate random password

openssl rand -base64 32

Monitor bandwidth usage

sudo apt install nethogs
sudo nethogs

JSON pretty-print

cat data.json | python3 -m json.tool

Quickly backup a file

cp file.txt{,.bak} # Creates file.txt.bak

Create multiple directories

mkdir -p project/{src,tests,docs,config}
`

4️⃣ Hidden Features You Never Knew Existed

🎨 GNOME Shell Extensions (Supercharge Your Desktop)

Must-Have Extensions:

Dash to Panel - Windows-like taskbar
`bash

Install from: extensions.gnome.org/extension/1160/dash-to-panel/

`
Clipboard Indicator - Clipboard history manager
`bash

Install from: extensions.gnome.org/extension/779/clipboard-indicator/

Access: Click indicator icon or Super+Shift+V

`
GSConnect - Android phone integration
`bash
sudo apt install gnome-shell-extension-gsconnect

Features:

- Share files between phone and PC

- Reply to texts from computer

- Mouse/keyboard remote control

- Clipboard sync

`
Vitals - System monitor in top bar
`bash

Shows: CPU, RAM, temp, network speed in real-time

`
Caffeine - Prevent screen from sleeping
`bash

Toggle on when watching videos or presenting

`

Install Extensions via Terminal:
`bash

Install extension manager

sudo apt install gnome-shell-extension-manager

Or use browser:

1. Install browser extension

2. Visit extensions.gnome.org

3. Toggle ON

🔍 Hidden System Commands

`systemd` Secrets

`bash

List all services

systemctl list-units --type=service

Services that failed to start

systemctl --failed

Boot time analysis

systemd-analyze # Total boot time
systemd-analyze blame # Services by time
systemd-analyze critical-chain # Boot bottlenecks

Create custom service

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/myapp.service

[Unit]
Description=My Application
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=youruser
ExecStart=/path/to/your/app
Restart=always

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Enable and start

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable myapp.service
sudo systemctl start myapp.service
`

Hidden `.bashrc` Powers

`bash

Edit your .bashrc

nano ~/.bashrc

Add these gems:

Better history

export HISTSIZE=10000
export HISTFILESIZE=20000
export HISTCONTROL=ignoreboth:erasedups
shopt -s histappend

Instant typo correction

shopt -s cdspell

Case-insensitive tab completion

bind "set completion-ignore-case on"

Show all completions immediately

bind "set show-all-if-ambiguous on"

Color prompt with git branch

parse_git_branch() {
git branch 2> /dev/null | sed -e '/^[^]/d' -e 's/ (.*)/(\1)/'
}
export PS1="[\e[32m]\u@\h[\e[m]:[\e[34m]\w[\e[m][\e[33m]\$(parse_git_branch)[\e[m]$ "

Ultimate aliases

alias c='clear'
alias h='history'
alias ports='netstat -tulanp'
alias meminfo='free -m -l -t'
alias psmem='ps auxf | sort -nr -k 4'
alias pscpu='ps auxf | sort -nr -k 3'
alias update='sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y'
alias install='sudo apt install'
alias remove='sudo apt remove'

Git shortcuts

alias gs='git status'
alias ga='git add'
alias gc='git commit -m'
alias gp='git push'
alias gl='git log --oneline --graph --all --decorate'

Navigation shortcuts

alias ..='cd ..'
alias ...='cd ../..'
alias ....='cd ../../..'
alias dl='cd ~/Downloads'
alias doc='cd ~/Documents'
alias dev='cd ~/Development'

Safety nets

alias rm='rm -i'
alias cp='cp -i'
alias mv='mv -i'

Quick edits

alias bashrc='nano ~/.bashrc && source ~/.bashrc'

Reload .bashrc

source ~/.bashrc
`

🎭 Hidden Desktop Features

Virtual Desktops on Steroids

`bash

Install workspace matrix extension

Gives you a grid of workspaces (e.g., 3x3 = 9 workspaces!)

Or use built-in dynamic workspaces more effectively:

Settings → Multitasking → Workspaces → Fixed number

Set to 6-9 workspaces

Organize by task:

Workspace 1: Browsers

Workspace 2: Code editors

Workspace 3: Terminal windows

Workspace 4: Communication (Slack, Discord)

Workspace 5: Media (Spotify, Videos)

Workspace 6: Documentation

Window Rules & Automation

`bash

Install devilspie2 for advanced window rules

sudo apt install devilspie2

mkdir -p ~/.config/devilspie2
nano ~/.config/devilspie2/spotify.lua

-- Always open Spotify on workspace 5
if (get_application_name() == "Spotify") then
set_workspace(5)
maximize()
end

Auto-start devilspie2

echo "devilspie2" >> ~/.config/autostart/devilspie2.desktop
`

Quick Note-Taking from Anywhere

`bash

Install xpad (sticky notes)

sudo apt install xpad

Keyboard shortcut setup:

Settings → Keyboard → Custom Shortcuts

Command: xpad

Shortcut: Super+N

Now Super+N = instant note taking!

5️⃣ Productivity Hacks That Save Hours

⚡ Text Expansion (Type Less, Do More)

Espanso - Universal Text Expander

`bash

Install

wget https://github.com/federico-terzi/espanso/releases/latest/download/espanso-debian-amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i espanso-debian-amd64.deb

Register and start

espanso service register
espanso start

Create shortcuts

espanso edit

Add these:

matches:

trigger: ":email"
replace: "your.email@example.com"
trigger: ":phone"
replace: "+1 234-567-8900"
trigger: ":addr"
replace: "123 Main St, City, Country"
trigger: ":shrug"
replace: "¯\(ツ)/¯"
trigger: ":sign"
replace: |
Best regards,
Your Name
Your Title
Company Name
trigger: ":lorem"
replace: "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit..."
trigger: ":date"
replace: "{{mydate}}"
vars:
- name: mydate type: date params: format: "%Y-%m-%d"

Now typing :email anywhere will expand to your email!

🔄 Clipboard Manager (Never Lose Anything)

`bash

Install CopyQ

sudo apt install copyq

Start with system

copyq # Runs in background

Use: Ctrl+Shift+V to show history

Or click system tray icon

Keeps 200+ clipboard items

Search through history

Create permanent clips

Edit before pasting

🖼️ Screenshot Tools (Beyond Print Screen)

Flameshot - Professional Screenshots

`bash

Install

sudo apt install flameshot

Set keyboard shortcut

Settings → Keyboard → Custom Shortcuts

Name: Screenshot

Command: flameshot gui

Shortcut: Print Screen

Features:

- Draw arrows, circles, text

- Blur sensitive info

- Immediate upload options

- Blur faces

- Copy to clipboard

- Save to file

📋 Task Management from Terminal

Taskwarrior - TODO List That Doesn't Suck

`bash

Install

sudo apt install taskwarrior

Basic usage

task add "Write blog post" # Add task
task add "Deploy website" due:tomorrow # With due date
task add "Fix bug" priority:H project:webapp # With priority

List tasks

task list # Active tasks
task next # What to do next
task overdue # Oh no...

Complete task

task 1 done

Modify task

task 1 modify priority:H

Start working on task (tracks time)

task 1 start

Export to JSON

task export

Sync with phone (Taskwarrior has apps!)

🎯 Focus Mode (Block Distractions)

Cold Turkey Alternative for Linux

`bash

Install LeechBlock NG browser extension

Or use hosts file method:

sudo nano /etc/hosts

Add at the end:

127.0.0.1 facebook.com
127.0.0.1 www.facebook.com
127.0.0.1 twitter.com
127.0.0.1 www.twitter.com
127.0.0.1 reddit.com
127.0.0.1 www.reddit.com

Save and activate

sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

Create script to toggle

nano ~/toggle-focus.sh

!/bin/bash

if grep -q "# FOCUS MODE" /etc/hosts; then
sudo sed -i '/# FOCUS MODE/,/# END FOCUS MODE/d' /etc/hosts
echo "Focus mode OFF - Distractions enabled"
else
echo "# FOCUS MODE" | sudo tee -a /etc/hosts
echo "127.0.0.1 facebook.com" | sudo tee -a /etc/hosts
echo "127.0.0.1 www.facebook.com" | sudo tee -a /etc/hosts
echo "127.0.0.1 twitter.com" | sudo tee -a /etc/hosts
echo "127.0.0.1 reddit.com" | sudo tee -a /etc/hosts
echo "# END FOCUS MODE" | sudo tee -a /etc/hosts
echo "Focus mode ON - Stay focused!"
fi
sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

chmod +x ~/toggle-focus.sh
`

🤖 Automation with Cron Jobs

`bash

Edit crontab

crontab -e

Syntax: minute hour day month weekday command

Examples:

Backup every day at 2 AM

0 2 * * * /home/user/backup-script.sh

Clear Downloads folder every Sunday at midnight

0 0 * * 0 rm -rf ~/Downloads/*

System update every Monday at 3 AM

0 3 * * 1 sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Remind to take break every hour

0 * * * * notify-send "Break Time!" "Look away from screen for 5 minutes"

Git auto-commit notes every 30 minutes

*/30 * * * * cd ~/notes && git add . && git commit -m "Auto-save $(date)" && git push

Check website uptime every 5 minutes

*/5 * * * * curl -Is https://yoursite.com | head -n 1 >> ~/uptime.log

Quick reference:

/5 * * * Every 5 minutes

0 /2 * * Every 2 hours

0 9-17 * * * Every hour from 9 AM to 5 PM

0 0 * * MON Every Monday at midnight

6️⃣ Advanced Workflow Optimization

🎮 Window Manager Power Moves

i3 Window Manager (For Ultimate Control)

Optional but life-changing for power users

`bash

Install

sudo apt install i3

Basic config location: ~/.config/i3/config

Key concepts:

- Windows tile automatically

- No overlapping windows

- 100% keyboard-driven

- Instant window switching

Example workflow:

Mod+Enter: Open terminal

Mod+d: Launch app

Mod+1-9: Switch workspace

Mod+Shift+1-9: Move window to workspace

Mod+h/j/k/l: Navigate windows (Vim-style)

Mod+r: Resize mode

📊 Monitoring & Logging

System Monitoring Setup

`bash

Install monitoring tools

sudo apt install htop btop iotop nethogs

htop - Interactive process viewer

htop

btop - Beautiful resource monitor (modern htop)

btop

iotop - I/O usage by process

sudo iotop

nethogs - Network usage by process

sudo nethogs

Create monitoring dashboard

Install glances (all-in-one)

sudo apt install glances
glances # Web interface: localhost:61208
`

Log Management

`bash

View system logs

journalctl -xe # Recent logs with explanation
journalctl -f # Follow logs (like tail -f)
journalctl -u servicename # Specific service logs
journalctl --since "1 hour ago" # Time-filtered logs
journalctl -p err # Only errors

Analyze log sizes

sudo journalctl --disk-usage

Clear old logs

sudo journalctl --vacuum-time=7d # Keep 7 days
sudo journalctl --vacuum-size=500M # Keep 500MB max
`

🐳 Docker Productivity (For Developers)

`bash

Useful aliases for ~/.bashrc

alias dps='docker ps'
alias dpsa='docker ps -a'
alias di='docker images'
alias drm='docker rm $(docker ps -aq)'
alias drmi='docker rmi $(docker images -q)'
alias dstop='docker stop $(docker ps -aq)'

Docker cleanup

docker system prune -af --volumes # Nuclear cleanup

Quick containers

alias nginx='docker run -d -p 8080:80 nginx'
alias postgres='docker run -d -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=password -p 5432:5432 postgres'
alias redis='docker run -d -p 6379:6379 redis'

Docker compose shortcuts

alias dc='docker-compose'
alias dcu='docker-compose up -d'
alias dcd='docker-compose down'
alias dcl='docker-compose logs -f'
`

🔐 SSH & Remote Work Mastery

SSH Config File (Stop Typing Long Commands)

`bash
nano ~/.ssh/config

Add your servers:

Host myserver
HostName 192.168.1.100
User admin
Port 2222
IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_rsa_myserver

Host github
HostName github.com
User git
IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_rsa_github

Host aws-prod
HostName ec2-xx-xx-xx-xx.compute.amazonaws.com
User ubuntu
IdentityFile ~/.ssh/aws-key.pem

Now just type:

ssh myserver # Instead of: ssh admin@192.168.1.100 -p 2222 -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa_myserver
`

SSH Tunneling & Port Forwarding

`bash

Local port forwarding (access remote service locally)

ssh -L 8080:localhost:80 user@remote-server

Now localhost:8080 accesses remote server's port 80

Remote port forwarding (expose local service remotely)

ssh -R 9000:localhost:3000 user@remote-server

Remote server's port 9000 accesses your localhost:3000

Dynamic port forwarding (SOCKS proxy)

ssh -D 8080 user@remote-server

Use localhost:8080 as SOCKS proxy in browser

Keep SSH connection alive

nano ~/.ssh/config

Add:

ServerAliveInterval 60
ServerAliveCountMax 3
`

SSH Keys Management

`bash

Generate new key

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your_email@example.com"

Copy to server (easy way)

ssh-copy-id user@server

Manual way

cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub | ssh user@server "mkdir -p ~/.ssh && cat >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys"

Use ssh-agent to avoid repeated password entry

eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

Auto-start ssh-agent in .bashrc

if [ -z "$SSH_AUTH_SOCK" ]; then
eval "$(ssh-agent -s)" > /dev/null
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 2>/dev/null
fi
`

7️⃣ System Administration Secrets

🔧 System Performance Tuning

Swap Management

`bash

Check current swap

free -h
swapon --show

Adjust swappiness (how aggressively to use swap)

Default is 60, lower = less swap usage

sudo sysctl vm.swappiness=10

Make permanent

echo "vm.swappiness=10" | sudo tee -a /etc/sysctl.conf

Create swap file if needed

sudo fallocate -l 4G /swapfile
sudo chmod 600 /swapfile
sudo mkswap /swapfile
sudo swapon /swapfile

Make permanent

echo '/swapfile none swap sw 0 0' | sudo tee -a /etc/fstab
`

I/O Scheduler Optimization

`bash

Check current scheduler

cat /sys/block/sda/queue/scheduler

For SSD (use deadline or noop)

echo deadline | sudo tee /sys/block/sda/queue/scheduler

For HDD (use cfq or bfq)

echo bfq | sudo tee /sys/block/sda/queue/scheduler

Make permanent

sudo nano /etc/udev/rules.d/60-scheduler.rules

Add:

ACTION=="add|change", KERNEL=="sd[a-z]", ATTR{queue/scheduler}="deadline"
`

Disable Unnecessary Services

`bash

List all services

systemctl list-unit-files --type=service

Disable Bluetooth if not needed

sudo systemctl disable bluetooth.service

Disable printer service if no printer

sudo systemctl disable cups.service

Check what's slowing boot

systemd-analyze blame | head -20
`

📦 Package Management Pro Tips

APT Advanced Usage

`bash

Show package info

apt show package-name

Search for packages

apt search keyword

List installed packages

apt list --installed

Check which package owns a file

dpkg -S /usr/bin/firefox

Find which package provides a file

apt-file search filename

Hold package version (prevent updates)

sudo apt-mark hold package-name

Unhold

sudo apt-mark unhold package-name

Reinstall package (fix corrupted installs)

sudo apt install --reinstall package-name

Download package without installing

apt download package-name

Extract .deb without installing

dpkg-deb -x package.deb /output/directory
`

PPA Management

`bash

Add PPA

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:owner/ppa-name

Remove PPA

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:owner/ppa-name

List all PPAs

grep -r --include '*.list' '^deb ' /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.d/

Clean up broken PPAs

sudo apt-add-repository --remove ppa:broken/ppa
sudo apt update
`

Flatpak & Snap Management

`bash

Flatpak commands

flatpak list # List installed
flatpak search app-name # Search
flatpak install app-name # Install
flatpak update # Update all
flatpak remove app-name # Remove
flatpak run app-name # Run

Snap commands

snap list # List installed
snap find app-name # Search
snap install app-name # Install
snap refresh # Update all
snap remove app-name # Remove

Remove old snap versions (saves space)

sudo snap set system refresh.retain=2
`

🛡️ Security Hardening

Firewall Setup (UFW)

`bash

Install and enable

sudo apt install ufw
sudo ufw enable

Default policies

sudo ufw default deny incoming
sudo ufw default allow outgoing

Allow specific services

sudo ufw allow ssh # Port 22
sudo ufw allow 80/tcp # HTTP
sudo ufw allow 443/tcp # HTTPS
sudo ufw allow 8080:8090/tcp # Port range

Allow from specific IP

sudo ufw allow from 192.168.1.100

Check status

sudo ufw status verbose

Delete rule

sudo ufw delete allow 8080/tcp
`

Fail2Ban (Brute Force Protection)

`bash

Install

sudo apt install fail2ban

Copy default config

sudo cp /etc/fail2ban/jail.conf /etc/fail2ban/jail.local

Edit config

sudo nano /etc/fail2ban/jail.local

Key settings:

[sshd]
enabled = true
port = ssh
maxretry = 3 # Ban after 3 failed attempts
bantime = 3600 # Ban for 1 hour

Start service

sudo systemctl enable fail2ban
sudo systemctl start fail2ban

Check banned IPs

sudo fail2ban-client status sshd

Unban IP

sudo fail2ban-client set sshd unbanip 192.168.1.100
`

System Auditing

`bash

Install audit framework

sudo apt install auditd

Monitor file access

sudo auditctl -w /etc/passwd -p wa -k passwd_changes

Monitor command execution

sudo auditctl -a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S execve -k command_exec

Search audit logs

sudo ausearch -k passwd_changes
sudo ausearch -k command_exec

Generate audit reports

sudo aureport --summary
`

8️⃣ Customization & Automation

🎨 Ultimate Theming Guide

GTK Theme Installation

`bash

Install theme tools

sudo apt install gnome-tweaks

Create themes directory

mkdir -p ~/.themes ~/.icons

Download themes (example: Dracula)

cd ~/.themes
git clone https://github.com/dracula/gtk.git Dracula
cd ~/.icons
git clone https://github.com/dracula/gtk.git Dracula-icons

Apply with Tweaks

gnome-tweaks

Appearance → Themes → Applications = Dracula

Appearance → Icons = Dracula-icons

Popular theme sources:

- gnome-look.org

- github.com/dracula/gtk

- github.com/vinceliuice/WhiteSur-gtk-theme

Terminal Customization

`bash

Install Starship prompt (beautiful and fast)

curl -sS https://starship.rs/install.sh | sh

Add to .bashrc

echo 'eval "$(starship init bash)"' >> ~/.bashrc

Configure starship

mkdir -p ~/.config
starship preset nerd-font-symbols -o ~/.config/starship.toml

Install Nerd Fonts for icons

mkdir -p ~/.local/share/fonts
cd ~/.local/share/fonts
wget https://github.com/ryanoasis/nerd-fonts/releases/download/v3.1.1/FiraCode.zip
unzip FiraCode.zip
fc-cache -fv

Set terminal font to "FiraCode Nerd Font"

Color Scheme Setup

`bash

Install Gogh for terminal themes

bash -c "$(wget -qO- https://git.io/vQgMr)"

Popular choices:

- Dracula

- Nord

- Gruvbox Dark

- One Dark

- Monokai

Or manually set colors in terminal preferences

🤖 Advanced Bash Scripting

Script Template

`bash

!/bin/bash

Script: my-script.sh

Description: Does awesome things

Author: Your Name

Date: 2025-01-12

set -euo pipefail # Exit on error, undefined vars, pipe fails

Colors for output

RED='\033[0;31m'
GREEN='\033[0;32m'
YELLOW='\033[1;33m'
NC='\033[0m' # No Color

Functions

log_info() {
echo -e "${GREEN}[INFO]${NC} $1"
}

log_warn() {
echo -e "${YELLOW}[WARN]${NC} $1"
}

log_error() {
echo -e "${RED}[ERROR]${NC} $1"
}

Check if running as root

check_root() {
if [[ $EUID -ne 0 ]]; then
log_error "This script must be run as root"
exit 1
fi
}

Check dependencies

check_dependencies() {
local deps=("curl" "git" "jq")
for dep in "${deps[@]}"; do
if ! command -v "$dep" &> /dev/null; then
log_error "$dep is not installed"
exit 1
fi
done
}

Main function

main() {
log_info "Starting script..."
check_dependencies

# Your code here

log_info "Script completed successfully!"

}

Run main function

main "$@"
`

Useful Script Snippets

`bash

Progress bar

show_progress() {
local duration=$1
already_done() { for ((done=0; done<$elapsed; done++)); do printf "▇"; done }
remaining() { for ((remain=$elapsed; remain<$duration; remain++)); do printf " "; done }
percentage() { printf "| %s%%" $(( (($elapsed)*100)/($duration)*100/100 )); }
clean_line() { printf "\r"; }

for (( elapsed=1; elapsed<=$duration; elapsed++ )); do
    already_done; remaining; percentage
    sleep 1
    clean_line
done
clean_line

}

Backup function

backup_directory() {
local source=$1
local dest=$2
local timestamp=$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S)

log_info "Backing up $source..."
tar -czf "$dest/backup_$timestamp.tar.gz" "$source"
log_info "Backup completed: $dest/backup_$timestamp.tar.gz"

}

Send notification

notify() {
local title=$1
local message=$2
notify-send "$title" "$message" --urgency=normal
}

Menu system

show_menu() {
echo "================================"
echo " Main Menu"
echo "================================"
echo "1. Option 1"
echo "2. Option 2"
echo "3. Option 3"
echo "4. Exit"
echo "================================"
read -p "Select option [1-4]: " choice

case $choice in
    1) option1 ;;
    2) option2 ;;
    3) option3 ;;
    4) exit 0 ;;
    *) echo "Invalid option" ;;
esac

}
`

⚙️ Systemd Service Creation

Create Custom Service

`bash

Create service file

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/myapp.service

[Unit]
Description=My Application Service
After=network.target
StartLimitIntervalSec=0

[Service]
Type=simple
Restart=always
RestartSec=1
User=youruser
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/myapp
StandardOutput=journal
StandardError=journal

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Reload systemd

sudo systemctl daemon-reload

Enable and start

sudo systemctl enable myapp.service
sudo systemctl start myapp.service

Check status

sudo systemctl status myapp.service

View logs

sudo journalctl -u myapp.service -f
`

Timer (Systemd Cron Alternative)

`bash

Create timer file

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/backup.timer

[Unit]
Description=Daily Backup Timer

[Timer]
OnCalendar=daily
Persistent=true

[Install]
WantedBy=timers.target

Create corresponding service

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/backup.service

[Unit]
Description=Daily Backup Service

[Service]
Type=oneshot
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/backup.sh

Enable timer

sudo systemctl enable backup.timer
sudo systemctl start backup.timer

List all timers

systemctl list-timers
`

9️⃣ Emergency Troubleshooting Quick Reference

🚨 System Won't Boot

Recovery Mode Access

`bash

At GRUB menu:

1. Hold Shift during boot to show GRUB

2. Select "Advanced options"

3. Choose "Recovery mode"

4. Select "root - Drop to root shell prompt"

Once in root shell:

mount -o remount,rw / # Remount as writable
systemctl list-units --failed # Check failed services
`

Fix Broken Packages

`bash

In recovery mode or live USB

sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt --fix-broken install
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
`

Restore GRUB Bootloader

`bash

Boot from Live USB

Open terminal

sudo mount /dev/sdaX /mnt # Replace X with your root partition
sudo mount /dev/sdaY /mnt/boot # If separate boot partition
sudo mount --bind /dev /mnt/dev
sudo mount --bind /proc /mnt/proc
sudo mount --bind /sys /mnt/sys
sudo chroot /mnt

Reinstall GRUB

grub-install /dev/sda # Not sdaX, use disk not partition
update-grub

Exit and reboot

exit
sudo umount /mnt/boot
sudo umount /mnt
sudo reboot
`

💾 Disk Space Emergency

`bash

Find large files quickly

sudo du -sh /* 2>/dev/null | sort -hr | head -20

Clean package cache

sudo apt clean
sudo apt autoclean
sudo apt autoremove

Clean journal logs

sudo journalctl --vacuum-size=100M

Remove old kernels (keep current + 1 backup)

dpkg -l | grep linux-image
sudo apt remove linux-image-X.X.X-XX-generic # Old versions

Clean snap old versions

sudo snap list --all | awk '/disabled/{print $1, $3}' |
while read snapname revision; do
sudo snap remove "$snapname" --revision="$revision"
done

Find and delete duplicates

sudo apt install fdupes
fdupes -r ~/Documents
`

🔥 System Frozen

Kill Unresponsive GUI

`bash

Keyboard shortcuts:

Ctrl + Alt + F2 # Switch to TTY2

Login with username and password

Kill desktop environment

pkill -9 gnome-shell # For GNOME
pkill -9 plasmashell # For KDE

Or restart display manager

sudo systemctl restart gdm3 # For GNOME
sudo systemctl restart sddm # For KDE

Return to GUI

Ctrl + Alt + F1
`

Magic SysRq Keys (Last Resort)

`bash

Enable SysRq

echo "1" | sudo tee /proc/sys/kernel/sysrq

When system is frozen, press:

Alt + SysRq + R # Take control of keyboard
Alt + SysRq + E # Send SIGTERM to all processes
Alt + SysRq + I # Send SIGKILL to all processes
Alt + SysRq + S # Sync all filesystems
Alt + SysRq + U # Remount all filesystems read-only
Alt + SysRq + B # Reboot immediately

Remember: REISUB (Raising Elephants Is So Utterly Boring)

🌐 Network Issues

Quick Network Restart

`bash

Method 1: NetworkManager

sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

Method 2: nmcli

nmcli networking off && sleep 2 && nmcli networking on

Method 3: Interface level

sudo ip link set wlp3s0 down && sudo ip link set wlp3s0 up
`

DNS Troubleshooting

`bash

Check DNS resolution

nslookup google.com
dig google.com

Flush DNS cache

sudo systemd-resolve --flush-caches

Test with different DNS

Edit temporarily

sudo nano /etc/resolv.conf

Add:

nameserver 8.8.8.8
nameserver 8.8.4.4

Make permanent

sudo nano /etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf

Add under [main]:

dns=none

sudo nano /etc/resolv.conf

Add:

nameserver 8.8.8.8
nameserver 1.1.1.1

Restart NetworkManager

sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager
`

🖥️ Graphics Issues

Nvidia Driver Problems

`bash

Check current driver

nvidia-smi

Reinstall driver

sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall

Or specific version

sudo apt install nvidia-driver-535

Purge and reinstall

sudo apt purge nvidia-*
sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall
sudo reboot
`

Fallback to Safe Graphics

`bash

Edit GRUB

sudo nano /etc/default/grub

Find line: GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"

Change to: GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash nomodeset"

Update GRUB

sudo update-grub
sudo reboot

This uses safe graphics mode

🔟 Pro Tips from 7+ Year Veterans

💡 Veteran Wisdom

Always keep a live USB handy - You never know when you'll need to rescue your system.
Backup before major changes - Use timeshift for system snapshots:
`bash sudo apt install timeshift sudo timeshift --create --comments "Before system upgrade" `
Document your customizations - Keep a ~/setup.sh script with all your configurations:
`bash

!/bin/bash

My System Setup Script

sudo apt install -y vim git htop tmux curl
cp ~/dotfiles/.bashrc ~/.bashrc

... all your customizations

`
Use version control for configs - Keep dotfiles in git:
`bash cd ~ git init git add .bashrc .vimrc .gitconfig git commit -m "Initial dotfiles" git remote add origin https://github.com/yourusername/dotfiles.git git push -u origin main `
Learn regex - It's everywhere in Linux. Quick reference:
`bash

Match emails

grep -E '[a-zA-Z0-9._%+-]+@[a-zA-Z0-9.-]+.[a-zA-Z]{2,}' file.txt

Match IP addresses

grep -E '([0-9]{1,3}.){3}[0-9]{1,3}' file.txt

Match phone numbers

grep -E '(?[0-9]{3})?[-. ]?[0-9]{3}[-. ]?[0-9]{4}' file.txt
`

Master your text editor - Vim or Emacs, pick one and go deep: `bash # Vim essentials vimtutor # Built-in tutorial (30 minutes)

Basic survival:

i # Insert mode
Esc # Normal mode
:w # Save
:q # Quit
:wq # Save and quit
dd # Delete line
yy # Copy line
p # Paste
/search # Search forward
?search # Search backward
:%s/old/new/g # Replace all
`

Use screen or tmux for long-running tasks - SSH connection drops? No problem, your process keeps running.
Read man pages - Seriously:
`bash man <command> # Read manual man -k <keyword> # Search all manuals tldr <command> # Get simplified examples (install: npm install -g tldr) `
Join the community - Linux forums, subreddits, Discord servers. Help others, learn faster.
Never rm -rf / anything unless you're 100% sure - Always double-check destructive commands:
`bash

Safe deletion

rm -i file.txt # Asks for confirmation

Or use trash-cli instead of rm

sudo apt install trash-cli
alias rm='trash' # Now "rm" moves to trash instead of permanent delete
`

📚 Bonus: Essential Resources

📖 Books & Guides

"The Linux Command Line" by William Shotts - Free PDF, absolute bible
"How Linux Works" by Brian Ward - Understanding the internals
"Linux Bible" by Christopher Negus - Comprehensive reference

🎓 Online Learning

Linux Journey (linuxjourney.com) - Interactive tutorials
OverTheWire: Bandit (overthewire.org) - Learn through challenges
Linux Academy (now A Cloud Guru) - Professional courses

🎥 YouTube Channels

LearnLinuxTV - Excellent tutorials
NetworkChuck - Fun, engaging content
The Linux Experiment - Weekly Linux news
DistroTube - Advanced topics, scripts, workflows

💬 Communities

r/linuxquestions - Beginner-friendly
r/linux - General Linux discussion
r/unixporn - Desktop customization inspiration
Linux Discord servers - Real-time help

🛠️ Tool Repositories

GitHub Awesome Lists - github.com/awesome-foss/awesome-linux
AlternativeTo - Find Linux alternatives to Windows apps
Flathub - Flatpak app store

🎯 Your Action Plan

Week 1-2: Master the Basics

[ ] Set up your environment with essential tools
[ ] Create custom aliases and bashrc configurations
[ ] Learn 20 most-used keyboard shortcuts
[ ] Install and configure tmux

Week 3-4: Build Productivity

[ ] Set up text expansion (Espanso)
[ ] Configure clipboard manager
[ ] Create automation scripts for repetitive tasks
[ ] Organize workspaces by task type

Month 2: Advanced Skills

[ ] Master one advanced tool (fzf, ripgrep, or htop)
[ ] Set up proper backup system
[ ] Learn basic systemd service creation
[ ] Customize your desktop environment

Month 3+: Continuous Improvement

[ ] Share knowledge in communities
[ ] Document your learnings
[ ] Experiment with new tools
[ ] Help newcomers (teaching reinforces learning)

🎬 Conclusion

Linux mastery isn't about knowing every command or memorizing every shortcut. It's about building a workflow that amplifies your productivity and gives you complete control over your computing experience.

Start small. Pick 3-5 tips from this guide and implement them this week. Master them. Then come back for more. In three months, you'll wonder how you ever worked without these tools.

Remember: every Linux expert was once a beginner who didn't give up. The terminal that scared you yesterday will be your best friend tomorrow.

What's your next move?

Drop a comment below with:

Which section was most helpful?
What productivity hack are you implementing first?
Any questions or tips you'd like to share?

Let's learn from each other. That's the Linux way. 🐧

Found this guide helpful? Check out my previous article: Switching from Windows to Linux: A Complete Beginner's Journey for the foundation, and visit Linux Fundamentals: The Engineer's Guide for deeper technical concepts.

Connect with me: GitHub | LinkedIn | Dev.to

1️⃣ Day-to-Day Survival Kit

🌅 Morning Routine: First 5 Minutes

📁 Essential File Operations

🔥 Quick Fixes for Common Problems

🖥️ GNOME Desktop (Ubuntu Default)

System Navigation

Window Management

Application Shortcuts

⌨️ Terminal Shortcuts (Bash)

Navigation

History & Search

Process Control

Advanced Tricks

Use Ctrl+R to search history

Press Ctrl+R, type "git", it finds "git commit -m 'fix bug'"

Press Enter to execute, or Right arrow to edit first

Use !$ to reuse last argument

Use !! to fix forgotten sudo

"Permission denied"

📝 VS Code Shortcuts for Linux

🌐 Firefox Shortcuts (Linux-specific)

3️⃣ Terminal Mastery: Beyond Basic Commands

🎯 The Commands That Separate Beginners from Power Users

tmux - Terminal Multiplexer (Life-Changing)

Install

Basic usage

Inside tmux (Ctrl+B then):

Split horizontally: Ctrl+B then "

Split vertically: Ctrl+B then %

Navigate panes: Ctrl+B then arrow keys

New window: Ctrl+B then c

Switch windows: Ctrl+B then 0-9

Detach: Ctrl+B then d

SSH into server

Start tmux session for long-running task

Run deployment (takes 2 hours)

Detach (Ctrl+B then d) - close laptop, go home

Later, SSH back in

Your deployment is still running!

fzf - Fuzzy Finder (Will Blow Your Mind)

Install

Basic fuzzy find

Search command history

Search and cd into directory

Search and edit file

Add to .bashrc for Ctrl+R superpower

Now Ctrl+R uses fzf instead!

Add these to ~/.bashrc

Search and kill process

Quick git commit browser

ag (The Silver Searcher) - Grep on Steroids

Install

Search in current directory (ignores .gitignore)

Case insensitive

Only show filenames

Search in specific file types

bat - Better cat

Install

On Ubuntu it's called 'batcat' due to name conflict

Syntax highlighting, line numbers, git integration!

Make it default cat

exa - Better ls

Install

Better ls with colors and icons

Tree view with icons

Git status in listings

Make it default

🔄 Command Chaining & Piping Mastery

Run commands sequentially (always)

Run only if previous succeeds (AND)

Run only if previous fails (OR)

Pipe output to next command

Redirect output to file

Redirect errors

Discard output

🧰 One-Liners That Look Like Magic

Find and replace in multiple files

Download entire website

Monitor file changes in real-time

Create directory and cd into it in one command

`tmux` - Terminal Multiplexer (Life-Changing)

`fzf` - Fuzzy Finder (Will Blow Your Mind)

`ag` (The Silver Searcher) - Grep on Steroids

`bat` - Better `cat`

`exa` - Better `ls`

`systemd` Secrets

Hidden `.bashrc` Powers