10 Advanced Linux Tricks You Probably Haven't Tried Yet

Linux is known for its flexibility and customizability. It's no surprise that Linux users are always looking for new and exciting tricks to improve their experience. If you're a Linux user, here are 10 advanced tricks you probably haven't tried yet.

1. Using mount namespaces

Mount namespaces are a powerful tool that allows you to create an isolated view of the file system. This means you can have different mount points for different processes, which can be very useful if you're working on multiple projects that require different file systems.

To use mount namespaces, you can use the "unshare" command. For example, to start a new shell in a new mount namespace, you can run the following command:

unshare -m /bin/bash

2. Using network namespaces

Network namespaces are similar to mount namespaces, but instead of isolating the file system, they isolate the network stack. This means you can have different network configurations for different processes, which can be very useful if you're working on multiple projects that require different network settings.

To use network namespaces, you can use the "ip netns" command. For example, to create a new network namespace, you can run the following commands:

ip netns add mynamespace

ip netns exec mynamespace /bin/bash

3. Using the "watch" command

The "watch" command allows you to repeatedly run a command and display the output in real-time. This can be very useful for monitoring system resources or keeping an eye on log files.

To use the "watch" command, simply run "watch" followed by the command you want to monitor. For example, to monitor the output of the "df" command every 5 seconds, you can run the following command:

watch -n 5 df -h

4. Using the "screen" command

The "screen" command allows you to create multiple virtual terminals within a single terminal window. This can be very useful if you need to run multiple commands simultaneously or if you need to disconnect from a session without interrupting the running processes.

To use the "screen" command, simply run "screen" followed by the command you want to run. For example, to create a new screen session, you can run the following command:

screen

5. Using the "tmux" command

Similar to the "screen" command, the "tmux" command allows you to create multiple virtual terminals within a single terminal window. However, "tmux" offers more advanced features like pane splitting and session sharing.

To use the "tmux" command, simply run "tmux" followed by the command you want to run. For example, to create a new tmux session, you can run the following command:

tmux new-session

6. Using the "strace" command

The "strace" command allows you to trace system calls and signals made by a process. This can be very useful for debugging and troubleshooting.

To use the "strace" command, simply run "strace" followed by the command you want to trace. For example, to trace the system calls made by the "ls" command, you can run the following command:

strace ls

7. Using the "lsof" command

The "lsof" command allows you to list open files and the processes that have them open. This can be very useful for identifying processes that are using file resources.

To use the "lsof" command, simply run "lsof". For example, to list all open files on your system, you can run the following command:

lsof

8. Using the "dd" command

The "dd" command allows you to copy data from one location to another. This can be very useful for creating disk images or cloning disks.

To use the "dd" command, simply run "dd" followed by the input and output file locations. For example, to copy the contents of a disk to a file, you can run the following command:

dd if=/dev/sda of=disk.img

9. Using the "rsync" command

The "rsync" command allows you to synchronize files and directories between different locations. This can be very useful for backing up data or transferring files between systems.

To use the "rsync" command, simply run "rsync" followed by the source and destination locations. For example, to synchronize the contents of a directory to a remote server, you can run the following command:

rsync -avz /path/to/directory user@remote:/path/to/destination

10. Using the "grep" command with regular expressions

The "grep" command allows you to search for text within files. When combined with regular expressions, "grep" becomes a very powerful tool for searching and manipulating text.

To use "grep" with regular expressions, simply run "grep" followed by the regular expression and the file(s) to search. For example, to search for all lines in a file that start with "foo", you can run the following command:

grep "^foo" file.txt

In conclusion, these 10 advanced Linux tricks can help you improve your Linux experience and potentially save you time and effort. As with all advanced tools and commands, it's important to use them with caution and carefully read the documentation to avoid unintended consequences. Happy hacking!