19 Advanced Linux Commands Every Sysadmin Should Know!

1. htop

• Usage: Interactive process viewer that’s much more advanced than top.
• Command: htop
• Description: Shows processes, memory, and CPU usage in a user-friendly, color-coded layout.

2. nmap

• Usage: Network mapping and discovery.
• Command: nmap -sP 192.168.1.0/24
• Description: Scans a network range to identify active devices.

3. rsync

• Usage: Syncs directories and files locally or across networked systems.
• Command: rsync -av /source /destination
• Description: Great for backups and maintaining directories across systems.

4. tmux

• Usage: Terminal multiplexer allowing multiple sessions.
• Command: tmux
• Description: Enables you to switch between several programs in a single terminal.

5. awk

• Usage: Text processing and data extraction from files.
• Command: awk '{print $1}' file.txt
• Description: Powerful for extracting and formatting text data.

6. dig

• Usage: DNS lookup tool.
• Command: dig example.com
• Description: Provides DNS information for domain troubleshooting.

7. tcpdump

• Usage: Packet sniffer for network troubleshooting.
• Command: sudo tcpdump -i eth0
• Description: Allows monitoring of incoming and outgoing packets.

8. lsof

• Usage: Lists open files and the processes using them.
• Command: lsof -i :80
• Description: Essential for diagnosing file locks and network usage.

9. jq

• Usage: Processes JSON data.
• Command: cat file.json | jq '.'
• Description: Parses and formats JSON data from files or APIs.

10. iftop

• Usage: Monitors bandwidth usage per IP.
• Command: sudo iftop
• Description: Real-time network traffic monitoring by IP address.

11. strace

• Usage: Traces system calls and signals.
• Command: strace -p <PID>
• Description: Useful for debugging by tracing system calls from a process.

12. ip a

• Usage: Displays network interfaces and IP address configuration.
• Command: ip a
• Description: Essential for managing network settings on modern Linux systems.

13. grep -r

• Usage: Searches text within files recursively.
• Command: grep -r 'search-term' /path/to/directory
• Description: Locates specific text across directories, useful for log analysis.

14. iostat

• Usage: Monitors CPU and I/O statistics.
• Command: iostat -x 1
• Description: Helps in understanding disk and CPU usage patterns over time.

15. iptables

• Usage: Configures firewall rules.
• Command: sudo iptables -L
• Description: Manages network traffic control for security purposes.

16. nc (Netcat)

• Usage: Network utility for debugging and testing.
• Command: nc
• Description: Versatile for creating connections, debugging, and port scanning.

17. sar

• Usage: Collects, reports, and saves system activity information.
• Command: sar -u 1 5
• Description: Monitors performance metrics, including CPU, memory, and network.

18. atop

• Usage: Monitors system performance.
• Command: atop
• Description: Provides a detailed look at processes, memory, disk, and network.

19. watch

• Usage: Repeats a command at fixed intervals.
• Command: watch -n 1 df -h
• Description: Useful for monitoring outputs in real-time, such as disk usage.

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