Recommended tools

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

Most of these packages are in the stable branch, but some useful and otherwise high quality software is still in the testing branch. Testing branch packages may be made available for installation by accepting a keyword for a single package, however packages from the testing branch should only be used after taking note of any risks.

To reference a new piece of software here, please read the adding to this page section.

This is a "best of kind" list, much more software is available on Gentoo. Use eix or browse packages.gentoo.org to find all applications available on Gentoo.

File management
See also the article on file managers.

Hardware information
See also hardware detection.

Pagers
Also consider emerging with.

Shell environment
See also the shell article for available command-line interpreters.

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.

Text editors
See also the text editor article for more editor packages and further information.

Adding to this page
The applications listed here should be widely useful, and of sufficient quality, to merit inclusion. This page is a work in progress.

If you regularly use a desktop 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.

It is good practice to create a stub article for any package added here that does not have a page already, as anything notable enough to be listed here will also be notable enough to have a dedicated page.