I wrote Efficient Linux at the Command Line (2022) to help you increase your productivity to get more done in less time. It covers core concepts so you understand why things work the way they do, and tips and tricks for speed.
I often see Linux users working inefficiently. For example, a few years ago, I was helping a coworker learn the Python programming language on a Linux workstation. I noticed something unusual in the way he was editing and testing his Python files. Each time he made a change, he would quit the editor, run his Python program to test the change, and then relaunch the editor and hunt for the spot in his code where he’d left off. I showed him how to use basic job control commands (Ctrl-Z and fg) to pause and resume the editor instead of quitting. After a few minutes of practice, his Python productivity doubled. He was no longer wasting 30-60 seconds every time he made a change and tested it.
As another example, I often see Linux users press the up arrow key to recall and rerun earlier commands they’ve typed. If they’d run the command a long time ago, they might whack the up arrow key dozens of times, searching by eye for the command they want. This is super inefficient. In the book, I demonstrate multiple ways to find your desired command faster.
The two preceding examples are relatively basic. I also discuss over a dozen ways to run Linux commands with different effects, including pipelines, command substitution, process substitution, subshells, piping text to bash, leveraging xargs, and more, with lots & lots of hands-on examples. In the end, you’ll learn to build up complex commands one step at a time to solve practical business problems.
Efficient Linux at the Command Line packs 35 years of Linux/Unix experience into 200+ pages to help you become more effective in your daily work and more competitive in the job market. I hope you’ll enjoy the book.
