The Linux Command Line, 3rd Edition

William Shotts

ISBN 10: 1718504527 / ISBN 13: 9781718504523

Published by No Starch Press,US, US, 2026

About this Item

The Linux Command Line takes you from your very first terminal keystrokes to writing full programs in Bash, the most popular Linux shell (or command line). Along the way you'll learn the timeless skills handed down by generations of experienced, mouse-shunning gurus: file navigation, environment configuration, command chaining, pattern matching with regular expressions, and more. In addition to that practical knowledge, author William Shotts reveals the philosophy behind these tools and the rich heritage that your desktop Linux machine has inherited from Unix supercomputers of yore. As you make your way through the book's short, easily-digestible chapters, you'll learn how to: Create and delete files, directories, and symlinks, Administer your system, including networking, package installation, and process management, Use standard input and output, redirection, and pipelines, Edit files with Vi, the world's most popular text editor, Write shell scripts to automate common or boring tasks, Slice and dice text files with cut, paste, grep, patch, and sed. Once you overcome your initial 'shell shock,' you'll find that the command line is a natural and expressive way to communicate with your computer. Just don't be surprised if your mouse starts to gather dust.

Seller Inventory # LU-9781718504523

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Linux Command Line, 3rd Edition
• Publisher: No Starch Press,US, US
• Publication Date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1718504527
• ISBN 13: 9781718504523
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition: 3rd Edition
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

Banish Your Mouse.

The Linux Command Line isn’t just a reference manual. It’s a complete education on how Linux really works. From your first tentative keystrokes to writing powerful shell scripts, you’ll build the confidence and understanding to make your system work for you.

Now in its third edition, this best-selling guide has been fully updated with modern examples, nearly 40 pages of new content, and downloadable scripts from LinuxCommand. Used in more than a thousand classrooms and libraries worldwide, it has helped over 150,000 readers gain fluency and confidence in Linux.

Author and command line guru William Shotts delivers not just commands, but genuine insight, guided by his philosophy: Make everything as simple as possible, but no simpler.

Through short, digestible chapters, you’ll learn to:

• Navigate the filesystem, manage files, and configure your environment
• Chain commands, redirect input/output, and use regular expressions
• Control processes, manage packages, and work with networking tools
• Edit text with Vim
• Write shell scripts to automate tasks and build custom tools
• Use core utilities like grep, cut, sed, and tar to process data
• Manage filesystems and compile programs from source

Whether you’re managing servers, studying cybersecurity, or just curious about your computer, The Linux Command Line gives you the knowledge to command your system with confidence.

About the Author

William Shotts has been a software professional for more than 40 years and a dedicated Linux user and advocate since 1996. Over his career, he’s worked as a programmer, teacher, photographer, and technical manager leading teams in customer support, software quality assurance, system administration, and documentation. He is also the creator of LinuxCommand, a long-running site that helps users master the Linux command line.