Mentor's Corner-Manual Pages

KevinCSmallwood

Linux can have a steep learning curve. Practice will help that. Using the system will lead to familiarity. Referring to the manual pages will aid with learning.

Tips for using the Manual pages:

• Manual (or man) pages are reference information and usually not tutorials.

• Often you use man pages to see which options to a command you need to use.

• Some man pages are short, while some pages are very long.

• It is rare to read a man page from top to bottom; they are very terse and loaded with information.

• Learn to use the man command to skim and search for the information you need in long, detailed man pages.

While you are going through courses, refer to man pages for the commands you are using. Become familiar with various options and useful sections of the man pages for those commands you find that you use a lot in Labs or sound interesting to you. There is a wealth of information in man pages, but you have to practice reading them.
In time, you will become comfortable with the man command and learn more about useful commands that you will add to your toolbox. Keep going; I know you can do it!

Regards,
Kevin--IT Professional Program Mentor
itprofessionalprogram@linuxfoundation.org