Networking commands help you configure and monitor network connectivity, while package management tools allow you to install, upgrade, and remove software on your system.
These commands are crucial for inspecting network interfaces, testing connectivity, and diagnosing issues.
| Command | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
ifconfig |
Displays detailed information about all network interfaces. (Often replaced by ip addr in newer Linux systems.) |
ifconfig |
ip addr |
Modern utility for showing and managing IP addresses, routes, and network devices. | ip addr show |
ping |
Tests connectivity and latency by sending ICMP echo requests to a specified host. (Press CTRL + C to stop.) |
ping google.com |
ss |
A faster, more flexible utility for inspecting sockets (connections and listening ports). Modern replacement for netstat. |
ss -tuln |
netstat |
Displays network connections, routing tables, and interface statistics. | netstat -tulnp |
traceroute |
Tracks the route (hops) packets take to reach a host, showing all intermediate routers and their latency. | traceroute example.com |
mtr |
(My Traceroute) Combines ping and traceroute into a continuous, live display for real-time monitoring. |
mtr google.com |
nmap |
(Network Mapper) Used for network discovery and security auditing, finding live hosts and open ports. | nmap 192.168.1.1/24 |
These commands help you query the Domain Name System to resolve names and retrieve domain registration information.
| Command | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
nslookup |
Queries DNS servers to find domain name or IP address information. | nslookup example.com |
dig |
(Domain Information Groper) An advanced tool for querying DNS name servers and retrieving detailed DNS records. | dig A example.com |
host |
Performs simple DNS lookups, converting domain names to IPs and vice-versa. | host example.com |
whois |
Queries the WHOIS database to retrieve registration and administrative information about a domain. | whois example.com |
These commands facilitate secure connections to remote machines and the transfer of files.
| Command | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
ssh |
(Secure Shell) Used to securely log in and execute commands on a remote computer. | ssh user@192.168.1.5 |
scp |
(Secure Copy) A command-line utility for securely transferring files between hosts using the SSH protocol. | scp localfile.txt user@remote:/path/ |
wget |
Non-interactive utility for retrieving files from the web (HTTP, HTTPS, FTP). Great for downloading large files. | wget https://example.com/file.zip |
curl |
Tool for transferring data with URL syntax, supporting numerous protocols. Often used for testing APIs or downloading content. | curl -O https://example.com/api/data.json |
These commands display information about your local machine's kernel and hostname.
| Command | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
uname -a |
Displays detailed information about the system's kernel. | uname -a |
hostname |
Displays (or sets) the system's current hostname. | hostname |