Linux is a powerful and versatile operating system that offers many features and options for users. However, sometimes the default tools and commands may not be enough to meet your needs or preferences. In this blog, I will introduce you to 5 Linux tools that can enhance your productivity and make your work easier and faster. These tools are:
- bat: A cat clone with syntax highlighting and Git integration.
- fzf: A fuzzy file finder that allows you to search and select files and directories interactively.
- ranger: A console file manager with VI key bindings and a minimalist interface.
- vtop: A graphical activity monitor for the command line that shows CPU, memory, disk, and network usage.
- neofetch: A command-line system information tool that displays information about the operating system, software, and hardware in an aesthetic and visually pleasing way.
How to Install bat, fzf, ranger, vtop, and neofetch
To install these tools on your Ubuntu system, you can use the following commands:
- For bat, use
sudo apt-get install bat - For fzf, use
sudo apt-get install fzf - For ranger, use
sudo apt-get install ranger - For vtop, use
sudo npm install -g vtop - For neofetch, use
sudo apt-get install neofetch
How to Use bat, fzf, ranger, vtop, and neofetch
To use bat, you can simply run the command bat followed by the name of the file you want to view. For example, to view the contents of a Python script, you can use the following command:
bat hello.py
This will show the contents of the file with syntax highlighting, line numbers, and Git status indicators. You can also use the -A option to show all characters, including non-printable ones, and the -p option to show only the plain output without any decorations.
To use fzf, you can run the command fzf without any arguments to start the interactive search mode. You can then type any part of the file or directory name you are looking for, and fzf will show you the matching results. You can use the arrow keys or the VI keys to navigate the results, and press Enter to select the one you want. You can also use the -e option to enable exact matching, the -i option to ignore case, and the -m option to enable multi-selection.
To use ranger, you can run the command ranger without any arguments to launch the file manager. You will see a three-column interface, with the left column showing the parent directory, the middle column showing the current directory, and the right column showing the preview of the selected file or directory. You can use the arrow keys or the VI keys to move around, and press Enter to open the selected file or directory. You can also use the / key to start a search, the : key to enter a command, and the q key to quit.
To use vtop, you can run the command vtop without any arguments to start the activity monitor. You will see a graphical representation of the CPU, memory, disk, and network usage, as well as a list of the processes sorted by CPU usage. You can use the arrow keys or the VI keys to scroll the list, and press k to kill a process. You can also use the t key to toggle the theme, the g key to toggle the graph mode, and the q key to quit.
To use neofetch, you can run the command neofetch without any arguments to display the system information. You will see a colorful output that shows the logo of the operating system, the hostname, the kernel version, the uptime, the packages, the shell, the resolution, the desktop environment, the theme, the icons, the terminal, the CPU, the GPU, the memory, and the disk. You can also use various options to customize the output, such as:
--ascii: Use ASCII art instead of the logo.--colors: Specify the colors of the text and the bars.--config: Specify the configuration file to use.--disable: Disable the elements you don’t want to show.--help: Show the help message and exit.
root@ubuntu:~# neofetch .-/+oossssoo+/-. r `:+ssssssssssssssssss+:` ----------------------------------- -+ssssssssssssssssssyyssss+- OS: Ubuntu 22.04.2 LTS x86_64 .ossssssssssssssssssdMMMNysssso. Host: Droplet 20171212 /ssssssssssshdmmNNmmyNMMMMhssssss/ Kernel: 5.15.0-89-generic +ssssssssshmydMMMMMMMNddddyssssssss+ Uptime: 1 day, 2 hours, 46 mins /sssssssshNMMMyhhyyyyhmNMMMNhssssssss/ Packages: 1047 (dpkg), 4 (snap) .ssssssssdMMMNhsssssssssshNMMMdssssssss. Shell: bash 5.1.16 +sssshhhyNMMNyssssssssssssyNMMMysssssss+ Resolution: 1024x768 ossyNMMMNyMMhsssssssssssssshmmmhssssssso Terminal: /dev/pts/1 ossyNMMMNyMMhsssssssssssssshmmmhssssssso CPU: DO-Premium-AMD (2) @ 1.996GHz +sssshhhyNMMNyssssssssssssyNMMMysssssss+ GPU: 00:02.0 Red Hat, Inc. Virtio GPU .ssssssssdMMMNhsssssssssshNMMMdssssssss. Memory: 208MiB / 3912MiB /sssssssshNMMMyhhyyyyhdNMMMNhssssssss/ +sssssssssdmydMMMMMMMMddddyssssssss+ /ssssssssssshdmNNNNmyNMMMMhssssss/ .ossssssssssssssssssdMMMNysssso. -+sssssssssssssssssyyyssss+- `:+ssssssssssssssssss+:` .-/+oossssoo+/-.
Conclusion
In this blog, I have shown you how to install and use bat, fzf, ranger, vtop, and neofetch, five Linux tools that can boost your productivity and make your work easier and faster. These tools can help you view, search, manage, monitor, and display files and directories, as well as system information, on the command line. I hope you found this blog useful and informative. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you for reading.