Linux Tips: Learn 10 good Linux usage habits

Introduction

When you use a system often, you tend to fall into set usage patterns. Sometimes, you do not start the habit of doing things in the best possible way. Sometimes, you even pick up bad practices that lead to clutter and clumsiness. One of the best ways to correct such inadequacies is to conscientiously pick up good habits that counteract them. This article suggests 10 UNIX command-line habits worth picking up -- good habits that help you break many common usage foibles and make you more productive at the command line in the process. Each habit is described in more detail following the list of good habits.

Adopt 10 good habits

Ten good habits to adopt are:

1. Make directory trees in a single swipe.
2. Change the path; do not move the archive.
3. Combine your commands with control operators.
4. Quote variables with caution.
5. Use escape sequences to manage long input.
6. Group your commands together in a list.
7. Use xargs outside of find .
8. Know when grep should do the counting -- and when it should step aside.
9. Match certain fields in output, not just lines.
10. Stop piping cats.

Conclusion: Embrace good habits

It is good to examine your command-line habits for any bad usage patterns. Bad habits slow you down and often lead to unexpected errors. This article presents 10 new habits that can help you break away from many of the most common usage errors. Picking up these good habits is a positive step toward sharpening your Linux command-line skills.