Keyboard Shortcuts For Linux Terminal 
Tags: beginners, ubuntu, linux, computerscience
Published: 2020-07-25 11:55:32

In the last post, we looked at the use of an Alternative of `find` command [fd command](https://dev.to/yashsugandh/fd-best-alternative-to-find-command-pko).

Today, we are going to have a look at the keyboard shortcuts for Linux Terminal that will make our life easier.

Let's have a look at some basic and most useful commands

| Keyboard Shortcut 	| Use of the keyboard shortcut              	|
|-------------------	|-------------------------------------------	|
| Ctrl-Alt-t        	| **Open** a new **Terminal**                       	|
| Ctrl-d            	| **Close** a terminal                          	|
| Ctrl-c            	| **Cancels** the currently **running** command.    	|
| Ctrl-l            	| **Clears** the **screen** just like clear command 	|

In the above command, the one that I use the most is the `Ctrl-l` since it allows me to clear the screen without the need of typing the `clear` command again and again.

Now, Let's have a look at some advanced commands to help our movement in terminal


| Keyboard Shortcut 	| Use of the keyboard shortcut                 	|
|-------------------	|----------------------------------------------	|
| Ctrl-a            	| **Move** the cursor to the **beginning** of the **line** 	|
| Ctrl-e            	| **Move** the cursor to the **end** of the **line**       	|
| Ctrl-f            	| **Move** the cursor **forward** by **one character**    	|
| Ctrl-b            	| **Move** the cursor **backward** by **one character**    	|
| Alt-f             	| **Move** the cursor **forward** by **one word**          	|
| Alt-b             	| **Move** the cursor **backward** by **one word**         	|

We can use `home` and `end` key to move at the beginning and end of the line as well.

The ability to move at the beginning or end of a word using `Alt-f  Alt-b` is what I find most useful since we don't have to move back character by character.

Now let's have a look at some shortcuts that can help us in modifying text

| Keyboard Shortcut 	| Use of the keyboard shortcut                                                                        	|
|-------------------	|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	|
| Ctrl-d            	| **Delete** the **character** at the **cursor location**                                             	|
| Ctrl-t            	| **Exchange** the **character** at the **current**  location with the character at **preceding it** 	|
| Ctrl-u            	| **Erases** the **complete line**                                                                   	|
| Alt-t             	| **Exchange** the **word** at the **current** location with the word at **preceding it**             	|
| Alt-l             	| **Move** the cursor **backward** by **one character**                                               	|
| Alt-u             	| **Convert** the **characters** of a word to **lowercase** from the **current cursor** location      	|
| Alt-b             	| **Convert** the **characters** of a word to **uppercase** from the **current cursor** location      	|

`Alt-t` is something that you don't think you need until you start using it.

So this is all for today. Let me know what's your most used and if I missed something just let me know in the discussion below.

You can also join me on my journey of Linux-for-beginners series

{% link https://dev.to/yashsugandh/piping-in-linux-system-4456 %}