Getting Help on the Command Line
As a beginner to the command line, it can be challenging to know exactly what commands to use and how to use them. Luckily, there are many built-in resources to help you get started. In this section, we'll cover some of the most useful resources you can use to get help on the command line.
The 'help' Command
One of the easiest ways to get help on the command line is to use the 'help' command. This command provides information about built-in commands that are available on your system. To use the 'help' command, simply type 'help' followed by the name of the command you want to learn about. For example:
As you can see from the above example, the 'help' command provides a detailed description of the command, along with any available options and arguments.
The 'man' Command
The 'man' command is another valuable resource for learning about commands on the command line. 'man' stands for manual, and it provides comprehensive documentation for many commands and utilities installed on your system. To use the 'man' command, simply type 'man' followed by the name of the command or utility you want to learn about. For example:
This will display the manual page for the 'cd' command, which provides a more detailed explanation of the command than the 'help' command.
Online Resources
In addition to built-in resources, there are also many online resources available for learning about the command line. Some popular websites include:
- Linux Documentation Project: https://tldp.org/
- Linux Command: https://linuxcommand.org/
- Ubuntu Documentation: https://help.ubuntu.com/
These resources provide detailed explanations and examples of many commands and utilities, making them an excellent supplement to built-in resources.
Conclusion
Getting help on the command line is an essential skill for any Linux beginner. By using the built-in 'help' and 'man' commands, along with online resources, you can quickly and easily learn about new commands and utilities.