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Ask HN: I want to learn to use the terminal, where do I start

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Re: Ask HN: I want to learn to use the terminal, where do I start

#21

Post by [deleted] »

autoexec wrote: post #20
latexr wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Start with the basics of your shell. The internet is full of good info (like here for example That is not their shell. OP is on macOS, meaning their shell is Zsh. They should not be reading a comprehensive (and frankly very boringly structured, it starts with sections and sections of details irrelevant to a curious beginner) guide on Bash 5.2, which isn’t available on macOS by default.

As I said, it was only an example. I had no idea what shell they'd be using or that macOS apparently left them with Zsh and no other option. Apple's website suggests otherwise https://support.apple.com/guide/terminal/change-the-default-...

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: I want to learn to use the terminal, where do I start

#22

Post by runjake »

k310 wrote: post #18

Aside: zsh is standard on macs now, thanks to Apple's lawyers freaking out over bash license terms. If you want to change to industry standard bash (I did) then there are three ways to do it. Short: csh -s /bin/bash Others: system settings or terminal settings. [1] https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/terminal/trml113/mac [2] https://www.howtogeek.com/444596/how-to-change-the-default-s... You may want to update bash…

OP, I don't suggest you do this until you know what you're doing -- if ever.

Just start with the built-in zsh. Nearly everything you learn with zsh will work the same over on bash and Linux.

Also, I suggest resisting the urge of listening to those telling you to install oh-my-zsh. IMHO, it's a bloated plugins manager (no disrespect to robby <3) and introduces too much magic for beginners. Start basic.

Re: Ask HN: I want to learn to use the terminal, where do I start

#23

Post by themadturk »

idontwantthis wrote: post #19

Is there any point in just learning to use a tool without making something with it? You won’t learn to use a saw until you build something with it. Learn to program and you will be required to learn how to use the terminal.

There certainly is. I've been using Linux/Mac terminal off and on for a couple of decades and have never "built" anything with it. Certainly no programming or even shell scripting leaves out some of the usefulness of the command line, but knowing the commands to get individual tasks done is very useful.

Re: Ask HN: I want to learn to use the terminal, where do I start

#24

Post by idontwantthis »

themadturk wrote: post #23
idontwantthis wrote: post #19

Is there any point in just learning to use a tool without making something with it? You won’t learn to use a saw until you build something with it. Learn to program and you will be required to learn how to use the terminal.

There certainly is. I've been using Linux/Mac terminal off and on for a couple of decades and have never "built" anything with it. Certainly no programming or even shell scripting leaves out some of the usefulness of the command line, but knowing the commands to get individual tasks done is very useful.

I think my point still stands. You didn’t just learn it. You learned how to do things with it.

Re: Ask HN: I want to learn to use the terminal, where do I start

#25

Post by sciencesama »

Terminal is a tool, it is to make you reach a destination. Chrome for a lot of folks is a browser, but for some it is a job to develop and for some it is a job to use it to test !! You have to figure out what your goal is, then use the tool to get there !! So small things like opening files, try doing text manipulation like copy paste vs replace some text using terminal and you are almost golden !!

Re: Ask HN: I want to learn to use the terminal, where do I start

#27

Post by asicsp »

I have a list of learning resources here: https://learnbyexample.github.io/curated_resources/linux_cli...

If you are interested in text processing, I wrote interactive TUI apps for exercises on grep, sed, awk and coreutils: https://github.com/learnbyexample/TUI-apps

Re: Ask HN: I want to learn to use the terminal, where do I start

#28

Post by latexr »

autoexec wrote: post #20
latexr wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Start with the basics of your shell. The internet is full of good info (like here for example That is not their shell. OP is on macOS, meaning their shell is Zsh. They should not be reading a comprehensive (and frankly very boringly structured, it starts with sections and sections of details irrelevant to a curious beginner) guide on Bash 5.2, which isn’t available on macOS by default.

As I said, it was only an example. I had no idea what shell they'd be using or that macOS apparently left them with Zsh and no other option. Apple's website suggests otherwise https://support.apple.com/guide/terminal/change-the-default-...

It’s not “no other option”, they can switch to Bash but it’s an old version, or they could install a newer version with Homebrew or similar. But none of those steps should be taken by someone just starting.

The point is precisely that the OP likely has no idea what their shell is. I wasn’t lobbying a criticism, but a correction so they are aware.

Regarding the example guide, I do think it’s not a great one for total beginners. someone with interest in learning the Terminal should be given an interesting resource that let’s them play a bit with commands and understand what it’s about before drowning them in theory and technical information.

Re: Ask HN: I want to learn to use the terminal, where do I start

#29

Post by euroderf »

k310 wrote: post #18

Aside: zsh is standard on macs now, thanks to Apple's lawyers freaking out over bash license terms. If you want to change to industry standard bash (I did) then there are three ways to do it. Short: csh -s /bin/bash Others: system settings or terminal settings. [1] https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/terminal/trml113/mac [2] https://www.howtogeek.com/444596/how-to-change-the-default-s... You may want to update bash…

> Apple's lawyers freaking out over bash license terms

Interesting! Got a pointer ?

Re: Ask HN: I want to learn to use the terminal, where do I start

#30

Post by gorjusborg »

Stop using one of the GUI applications.

A good one to start with on mac is probably Finder.

Type 'man man' to learn about man pages.

Read the pages for 'cd', 'cp', 'rm', 'mv', 'find', 'cat'.

Try each one.

Move around the filesystem, move or rename some files.

That's all a good part of what you'll be doing on the cli.

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