Recommended tools

This page is intended to list system administration related tools recommended for use in a shell (terminal/console) environment. See Recommended applications for other software.

Hardware

 * Enhanced df (disk free) tool, which uses colors and a semi-graphical representation of disk usage.
 * Enhanced df (disk free) tool, which uses colors and a semi-graphical representation of disk usage.


 * ncurses-based disk usage tool, with easy navigation through the filesystem tree to see du results.
 * ncurses-based disk usage tool, with easy navigation through the filesystem tree to see du results.


 * Attempts to replicate the functionality of the 'old' apm command on ACPI systems.
 * Attempts to replicate the functionality of the 'old' apm command on ACPI systems.


 * a Linux ACPI client, allowing you to query or set ACPI values. It provides  a.o. information on battery status, AC adapter presence, thermal reading, etc.
 * a Linux ACPI client, allowing you to query or set ACPI values. It provides  a.o. information on battery status, AC adapter presence, thermal reading, etc.


 * Resource-specific view of processes.
 * Resource-specific view of processes.


 * Interactive process viewer (improved alternative for top), with easy function-keys for process management.
 * Interactive process viewer (improved alternative for top), with easy function-keys for process management.


 * Simple top like I/O montior.
 * Simple top like I/O montior.


 * Lists open files for running Unix processes
 * Lists open files for running Unix processes

Network

 * ncurses based utility to display real time statistics about network traffic.
 * ncurses based utility to display real time statistics about network traffic.


 * display bandwidth usage on an interface
 * display bandwidth usage on an interface


 * console-based network monitoring utility
 * console-based network monitoring utility


 * Layer Four Traceroute: An advanced traceroute implementation
 * Layer Four Traceroute: An advanced traceroute implementation


 * console application which monitors network traffic and bandwidth usage in real time
 * console application which monitors network traffic and bandwidth usage in real time


 * Fast traffic generator written in C, allows to send nearly every possible and impossible packet
 * Fast traffic generator written in C, allows to send nearly every possible and impossible packet


 * Network traffic monitoring
 * Network traffic monitoring


 * Active OS fingerprinting tool. This is Xprobe2.
 * 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 properitary network protocols.
 * A FrameWork for layer 2 protocol attacks. Working on DHCP, STP, IEEE 802.1q and also some other Cisco properitary network protocols.


 * Ncurses based monitor for IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN cards
 * Ncurses based monitor for IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN cards

File management

 * GNU Midnight Commander is a text based file manager
 * GNU Midnight Commander is a text based file manager


 * Console file manager with vi(m)-like keybindings. Offers familiar navigation for vim junkies.
 * Console file manager with vi(m)-like keybindings. Offers familiar navigation for vim junkies.

Shell environment

 * Enhanced pager (alternative to more and less) with colored highlighting. Also consider with USE=vim-pager.
 * Enhanced pager (alternative to more and less) with colored highlighting. Also consider with USE=vim-pager.


 * Generic Colouriser beautifies your logfiles or output of commands
 * Generic Colouriser beautifies your logfiles or output of commands


 * Command-line interface to various pastebins
 * Command-line interface to various pastebins


 * readline wrapper
 * readline wrapper


 * command line interface to X selections (clipboard)
 * command line interface to X selections (clipboard)

Others

 * Stores, retrieves, generates, and synchronizes passwords securely using gpg, pwgen, and git
 * Stores, retrieves, generates, and synchronizes passwords securely using gpg, pwgen, and git


 * interactive who-like program that displays information about users currently logged on in real time
 * interactive who-like program that displays information about users currently logged on in real time


 * Dynamic virtual terminal manager
 * Dynamic virtual terminal manager


 * Visual diffing tool for binary files
 * Visual diffing tool for binary files


 * a top clone for mysql
 * a top clone for mysql