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Sana Muhammad Sadiq
Sana Muhammad Sadiq

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Best Open Source Tools to Use on Your Linux Journey

#cloudwhistler #devops #opensource #linux

Introduction

As I continue my RHCSA journey with the 30-day Linux challenge, today’s focus is on the powerful open-source tools that make the Linux experience smoother, smarter and way more productive.

Whether you're writing code, managing systems, working with data or just navigating Linux as a learner the right tools matter. And in the world of Linux, open-source tools aren’t just alternatives, they’re often the industry standard.

Index

  1. Top Open Source Tools Every Linux User Should Know
  2. Real World Use Case
  3. Recommendation
  4. Quick Summary

🛠️ Top Open Source Tools Every Linux User Should Know

Let’s explore the most commonly used and recommended ones, with practical uses:

🔍 1. htop

  • What it does: A user-friendly process viewer (like top, but better).
  • Why it matters: Gives real-time insights into system resources.
  • Try it: 
  sudo apt install htop
  htop
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📝 2. vim / nano

  • What they do: Terminal-based text editors.
  • Tip: Use nano for simplicity, vim for power once you’re confident.

🌐 3. curl & wget

  • Use Case: Download files, APIs, webpages from the command line. 
  curl https://example.com
  wget https://example.com/file.zip
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🧱 4. tmux

  • What it is: Terminal multiplexer—run multiple sessions in one terminal.
  • Scenario: Keeping a process running even when SSH is lost.

📦 5. Git

  • Use Case: Version control (and collaboration via GitHub/GitLab). 
  git clone https://github.com/user/repo.git
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💡 6. ncdu

  • What it is: Visual disk usage analyzer.
  • Why: Much clearer than du -sh * when exploring space-hogs.

🌍 7. nmap

  • Purpose: Network scanning and security auditing.
  • Used in: System/network administration and cybersecurity.

🧪 8. bash-it / oh-my-zsh

  • Why: Supercharge your terminal with themes, aliases and autocompletions.

📁 9. rsync

  • Why it matters: Efficient file syncing, backup, and migration.

🧰 10. GParted

  • GUI-based partition editor. Great for resizing, formatting or repairing partitions without command-line stress.

🔁 Real World Use Case

Let’s say you’re a junior sysadmin troubleshooting disk issues:

  • Use ncdu to find bloated directories,
  • rsync to back them up to another server,
  • tmux to run these long tasks in multiple sessions without disconnecting.

That’s the real Linux power—open source helping you work smarter, not harder.

🧠 Recommendation

Don’t try to master everything at once. Start with what solves your immediate need. Then keep adding as your comfort grows.

✅ Quick Summary

Tool Best For
htop System monitoring
vim/nano File editing
curl/wget Downloading data
tmux Terminal multitasking
git Version control
ncdu Disk space exploration
nmap Network diagnostics/security
bash-it Enhanced CLI experience
rsync File sync and backup
GParted Partition management (GUI)

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I'd love to hear your thoughts, insights or experiences with Linux. Feel free to share and join the conversation [ Connect with me on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/techwithsana ]💜

#30dayslinuxchallenge #redhat #networking #cloudcomputing #cloudengineer #cloudarchitect #cloud #RHCSA #RHCE #RHEL #WomeninTech #Technology

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