Linux Commands in DevOps: A Practical Guide with Examples

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☄️ Top 70 Linux Commands Every DevOps Engineer Should Know ♾

Linux commands form the backbone of DevOps workflows. From file management to process control and network troubleshooting, mastering these commands can significantly enhance productivity and efficiency. Below is a curated list of 70 essential Linux commands for DevOps, categorized and explained for practical use:

File and Directory Management

These commands help manage files and directories efficiently:

ls: Lists directory contents.
cd: Changes the current directory.
pwd: Prints the current directory path.
mkdir: Creates new directories.
touch: Creates empty files.
cp: Copies files or directories.
mv: Moves or renames files/directories.
rm: Removes files or directories.
ln: Creates hard or symbolic links between files.

Searching and Viewing Files

For finding and inspecting data: 10. find: Searches for files and directories.

grep: Searches for patterns in files.
cat: Displays or concatenates file contents.
less: Opens files for paginated viewing.
head: Displays the first few lines of a file.
tail: Displays the last few lines of a file.

Text Editors

Essential for modifying configuration files: 16. vi/vim: Advanced text editor for experts.

nano: User-friendly text editor.

Compression and Archiving

Optimize storage and backup with these tools: 18. tar: Archives and extracts files.

gzip: Compresses files.
gunzip: Decompresses files.

Networking

For troubleshooting and managing networks: 21. wget: Downloads files from the web.

curl: Transfers data between systems.
ssh: Logs into remote servers securely.
scp: Copies files securely across servers.
ping: Tests network connectivity.
netstat: Displays network statistics.
ifconfig: Configures network interfaces.
dig: Performs DNS lookups.
nc: Netcat utility for reading/writing over the network.

System Administration

Handle permissions, processes, and users: 30. chmod: Changes file permissions.

chown: Changes file ownership.
chgrp: Changes group ownership.
ps: Lists running processes.
top: Monitors system performance.
kill: Terminates processes.
df: Displays disk usage.
du: Estimates file/directory size.
free: Shows memory usage.
uname: Prints system information.
lsof: Lists open files and processes.

User Management

Commands for managing user accounts: 41. useradd: Creates a new user account.

passwd: Changes a user's password.
su: Switches to another user.
sudo: Executes commands as another user.
usermod: Modifies user accounts.
groupadd: Creates a new group.
id: Displays user and group IDs.

Scheduling and Automation

Automate repetitive tasks: 48. crontab: Schedules recurring jobs.

at: Schedules one-time tasks.
history: Displays command history.
source: Executes commands from a file in the current shell.

File System Management

Maintain and modify file systems: 52. mkfs: Formats a new file system.

mount: Mounts file systems.
umount: Unmounts file systems.

Development Utilities

Boost productivity with these tools: 55. sed: Edits text streams or files.

awk: Processes and analyzes text data.
diff: Compares files line by line.
rsync: Synchronizes files between locations.
tee: Redirects output to multiple files.
cut: Extracts sections from text.
wc: Counts words, lines, and characters.

Security

Manage keys and encryption: 62. ssh-keygen: Generates SSH keys.

iptables: Configures the firewall.
ssh-agent: Manages SSH keys in memory.

Miscellaneous

Additional commands to streamline your workflow: 65. alias: Creates command shortcuts.

whois: Queries domain registration.
uniq: Removes duplicate lines.
sort: Arranges lines in order.
tr: Translates or deletes characters.
paste: Combines lines of files.

💡 Whether you're a beginner or an experienced DevOps engineer, mastering these commands is vital for efficient operations. Practice regularly, experiment with flags, and integrate them into scripts for automation.