Command Line Ever Needed?

A

AbbieRose

New member
This weekend of nightmare has led me to the realisation that I really don't like using the command line anymore. Its been too long since I've done it and I just am too out of practise.

How often is command line called for if you have a dedicated server (or any other share of a linux box) running linux?
 
At a minimum, every week for server/software updates. Some of the calls are done through automated scripts which are executed through shell, but it's still command line programming none the less.

Beyond that, routine checks on CPU and Memory loads should there be issues.
 
Ok thank you. That at least is nothing too intensive, and nothing too difficult. Aside from that, there is an interface, a graphical user interface isn't there? At least to handle the routine stuff?
 
There are worse things than being out of practice, you could be brand new but really though a little practice helps us all sometimes when we might need it. At one time not everything was point and click.
 
If you have a normal dedicated linux box, you should be having the GUI as well , but if this is a server related to web hosting, I suppose you should have a control panel installed, like cpanel, plesk etc. which would help you to configure the server.
 
Honestly, if you need to do any kind of "real" administration on a linux server, you will need to use a command line. A GUI is nice for a desktop linux box, but I cant think of many tasks that can be completed from the GUI tools in a production web server.
 
cPanel does help (in terms of setting up accounts and terminations etc), but true system administration will require shell access. Even adding various firewall utilities, checking of system error logs, reviewing /tmp folder, reviewing and tracking mail errors or connections are done through shell more than anything else.

GUI and scripts CAN help in some situations, but nothing beats the command line.
 
Most of the tasks you can do in ssh are also available in cpanel. Some things are hidden until you actually sit down and study every aspect of whm and cpanel. You would want to use ssh when you want to do tasks quick and easy.

You truly learn best by breaking things on the server. This provides you the opportunity to learn how to fix it. I would recommend buying a very cheap vps or installing linux on a personal computer so you can teach yourself new things.
 
Learn by breaking, ah now I haven't either done that or heard that in a while! There was a time when that was my speciality-playing with things, deconstructing them, and just seeing what could be done.

I guess I need to just relearn as per the particular OS in use.
 
Well breaking is probably the wrong term but its the same concept. Having a non production vps could be the best way to quickly learn. You have the opportunity to mess up or test new things and learn how to fix issues, without affecting anybody else.
 
Yeh true, a VPS would be a good choice to learn the Hosting/OS run time, you will have full root access and ofcourse can tweak the settings as per your needs.
 
TopQHost said:
Well breaking is probably the wrong term but its the same concept. Having a non production vps could be the best way to quickly learn. You have the opportunity to mess up or test new things and learn how to fix issues, without affecting anybody else.
Click to expand...

No don't worry, I understand. Like I say I've been there and done that before, and in fact my education was as a programmer and so this really isn't foreign to me. Not the command line, the playing, the breaking-its just been a while and I don't want to end up relying on a skill that is too rusty to do me any good.
 
It depends on what your dedicated server is used for. If it's being used as a web server, then it's usually at a minimum -- unless something goes wrong and you need to SSH into the server. :)
 
If you operate your own dedicated server, shell access is a must and is automatically given anyway. A gui can only do so much until the point where you will need root shell.

If you are a client, the hosting company does have the ability to provide shell access but the decision to grant it would rely on them. Shell would mainly provide ease of use when manipulating your files and operating Ruby on Rails applications.
 
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