Recommended tools

This page Article description::lists system administration-related tools recommended for use in a [[shell (terminal/console) environment.]] Command-line users should find reliable and easy to install software here for common Gentoo Linux needs.

See Recommended applications for graphical software.

Most software here is in the stable branch, but some useful and otherwise high quality software can still be in the testing branch. In that case packages may be made available for installation, however packages from the testing branch should only be used after taking notice of any risks.

These applications should be widely useful and of sufficient quality to merit inclusion. To reference a new piece of software here, please read the adding to this page section.

File management

 * - identify duplicate files residing in specified directories.
 * - GNU Midnight Commander is a text based file manager.
 * - the missing terminal file manager for X.
 * ranger - console file manager with VI key bindings providing a minimalistic curses interface with a view on the directory hierarchy.
 * - console file manager with (m)-like keybindings. Offers familiar navigation for vim junkies.

Hardware management

 * - attempts to replicate the functionality of the 'old' command on ACPI systems.
 * - Linux ACPI client, allowing you to query or set ACPI values. It provides informations on battery status, AC adapter presence, thermal reading, etc.

Hardware information

 * - linux tool to dump x86 CPUID information about the CPUs.
 * pciutils - utilities dealing with the PCI bus. Run to list PCI devices.
 * - resolve GCC flag -march=native, read the CPU id product family codename.
 * - get information on USB devices.

Network

 * - display bandwidth usage on an interface.
 * - console-based network monitoring utility.
 * - layer Four Traceroute: An advanced implementation.
 * - console application which monitors network traffic and bandwidth usage in real time.
 * - network traffic monitoring.
 * - ncurses based monitor for IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN cards.
 * - active OS fingerprinting tool. This is Xprobe2.
 * - a FrameWork for layer 2 protocol attacks. Working on DHCP, STP, IEEE 802.1q and also some other Cisco proprietary network protocols.

Pagers

 * - cat(1) clone with syntax highlighting and Git integration.
 * - enhanced pager (alternative to more and less) with colored highlighting. Also consider emerging  with.

Shell environment

 * - change directory command that learns.
 * - generic colouriser that beautifies system log files or command output.
 * - readline wrapper.
 * - command-line interface to various pastebin-like websites.
 * - command-line interface to X selections (clipboard).

System resources

 * - resource-specific view of processes.
 * - interactive process viewer (improved alternative for top), with easy function-keys for process management.
 * - simple top like I/O monitor.
 * - lists open files for running Unix processes.
 * - ncurses-based disk usage tool, with easy navigation through the filesystem tree to see results.
 * - enhanced (disk free) tool, which uses colors and a semi-graphical representation of disk usage.

Terminal multiplexers
Terminal multiplexers manage several applications simultaneously on the command line. Often they manage sessions in the background and allow reattaching if a terminal is closed or a connection lost. Some also permit some form of session saving, even across reboots.


 * - GPLv3 text-based window manager and terminal multiplexer.
 * - run a program detached from the terminal and reattach to it later. Useful for long s for example. May be unmaintained. See also.
 * - dynamic virtual terminal manager - console window manager for working with multiple console based programs.
 * screen - screen manager with VT100/ANSI terminal emulation.
 * tmux - terminal multiplexer.

Others

 * - clone for mysql. N.B. a customized mytop is included in >=dev-db/mariadb-5.3.
 * - stores, retrieves, generates, and synchronizes passwords securely using, , and.
 * - visual diffing tool for binary files.
 * - interactive -like program that displays information about users currently logged on in real time.

Adding to this page
This page is a work in progress. If you regularly use a command-line software package from the Gentoo repository and can confirm it is of excellent quality, stable and of broad appeal for common tasks, please add it to the list ! The software should at least be maintained (i.e. relatively recent commits to the source; have periodic releases; not have too many reported bugs; most bugs should be getting fixed rather than accumulating, etc.), and preferably be well documented and from the stable branch. Please don't use this page just to promote a package because you like it, are an author or have other interest etc.