This book is split into multiple parts. In part 1, we'll explore a new terminal and show you how to install and configure it. In part 2, we will concentrate on configuring your shell, adding plugins, understanding regular expressions, and working with pipes and subshells. Everything will then be coagulated into a shell scripting lesson. In part 3, we'll work with Vim, our recommended editor. We will cover everything from configuring it, to learning keyboard shortcuts, installing plugins, and even using it as a password manager. So let's get started.
In the following chapter, we will learn the following topics:
- Understanding the working of Terminator
- Using Guake for your quick commands or long running tasks
- Using ClipIt to copy-paste text
So, we will start with a terminal after which everything will be wild! When it comes to working long hours in a terminal, our choice is to use Terminator for its fast and easy split screen functionality. Then, we will focus on Guake, a terminal that opens really fast and wherever you are. Towards the end, you will understand the working of Clipit and use its copy and paste feature effectively.
We will dive deep into the Linux environment, giving you tips and tricks to increase your productivity, make you more comfortable with the command line, and automate your tasks.
The book is based on Ubuntu Linux version 16.04, which is the latest long-term support version. We chose Ubuntu because it's the most common Linux distribution out there, it's really simple to use, has a lot of graphical tools, and you can find a huge online community ready to answer all your questions. Ubuntu is also the most supported Linux distribution. This means that companies that create software, especially graphics software, and offer them for Linux, usually start with Ubuntu.
This makes it easier for us to use tools such as Skype, Slack, or Visual Studio Code. Although the book is based on Ubuntu, most of the commands are not related to Ubuntu, so you can easily use another distribution and apply the same lessons. A large part of the book can even be applied applicable to Mac, as we can have the same tools installed on Mac — bash, zsh, vim all work the same way across Linux and Mac--and with the release of Windows 10, bash support is built in, so tools such as zsh and vim can easily be installed and used. Before Windows 10, there were tools such as cygwin that let you use the Linux command line in a Windows environment.
We recommend you to read and practice in an open terminal so that you can execute the commands and check their results. Before we start, you want to download all the source files from our GitHub repository (located here: https://github.com/petruisfan/linux-for-developers).
