What are the common Linux command-line shortcuts?

Common Linux Command-Line Shortcuts

As a Linux technical expert and mentor, I'm happy to share some of the most common and useful command-line shortcuts that can greatly improve your productivity and efficiency when working in the Linux terminal.

Moving the Cursor: Use the arrow keys (up, down, left, right) to move the cursor within the current command line. You can also use the following shortcuts:
- Ctrl + A: Move the cursor to the beginning of the line.
- Ctrl + E: Move the cursor to the end of the line.
- Ctrl + B: Move the cursor one character backward.
- Ctrl + F: Move the cursor one character forward.
History Navigation: Use the following shortcuts to navigate through your command history:
- Up Arrow: Cycle through the previous commands.
- Down Arrow: Cycle through the next commands.
- Ctrl + R: Perform a reverse search through your command history.
Tab Completion: Press the Tab key to automatically complete partially typed commands, file names, or directory names. This can save you a lot of time and typing.

Editing Shortcuts

Deleting Text: Use the following shortcuts to delete text:
- Ctrl + K: Delete the text from the cursor to the end of the line.
- Ctrl + U: Delete the text from the cursor to the beginning of the line.
- Ctrl + W: Delete the word before the cursor.
Copying and Pasting: Use the following shortcuts to copy and paste text:
- Ctrl + Shift + C: Copy the selected text.
- Ctrl + Shift + V: Paste the copied text.
Clearing the Screen: Use the clear command to clear the terminal screen.

Process Control Shortcuts

Stopping a Process: Use the following shortcuts to stop a running process:
- Ctrl + C: Terminate the current foreground process.
- Ctrl + Z: Suspend the current foreground process.
Resuming a Suspended Process: Use the fg command to resume a suspended process in the foreground, or bg to resume it in the background.

Miscellaneous Shortcuts

Autocomplete for Commands: Press Tab twice to see a list of available commands that match the partially typed text.
Searching Through Man Pages: Press / and then type your search query to search through the man pages.
Exiting the Terminal: Use the exit command or press Ctrl + D to exit the current terminal session.

Here's a Mermaid diagram that summarizes the key command-line shortcuts:

graph TD A[Navigation Shortcuts] B[Editing Shortcuts] C[Process Control Shortcuts] D[Miscellaneous Shortcuts] A --> A1[Moving the Cursor] A --> A2[History Navigation] A --> A3[Tab Completion] B --> B1[Deleting Text] B --> B2[Copying and Pasting] B --> B3[Clearing the Screen] C --> C1[Stopping a Process] C --> C2[Resuming a Suspended Process] D --> D1[Autocomplete for Commands] D --> D2[Searching Through Man Pages] D --> D3[Exiting the Terminal]

Remember, mastering these command-line shortcuts can significantly boost your productivity and make your Linux workflow more efficient. Feel free to experiment with them and incorporate them into your daily Linux usage.