`apropos` is an overlooked Linux command

Search for Linux command that does what you need #

Sometimes the challenge of using the Linux command line is knowing what commands you need to do certain things. The apropos command lets you search the available commands by matching key words.

❯ apropos csv
# bench_wcsv (3tcl)    - bench::out::csv - Formatting benchmark results as CSV
# csv (3tcl)           - Procedures to handle CSV data.
# csv2rec (1)          - csv to rec converter
# rec2csv (1)          - rec to csv converter


❯ apropos environment 
# 0desktop (1)         - add programs to the desktop environment
# 30-systemd-environment-d-generator (8) - Load variables specified by environment.d
# byobu-janitor (1)    - script for cleaning and upgrading environment after upgrades
# byobu-reconnect-sockets (1) - Sourcable script that updates GPG_AGENT_INFO and DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS in the environment
# check-language-support (1) - returns the list of missing packages in order to provide a complete language environment
# clearenv (3)         - clear the environment
# dbus-update-activation-environment (1) - update environment used for D-Bus session services
# Dpkg::Build::Env (3perl) - track build environment
# env (1)              - run a program in a modified environment
# environ (7)          - user environment
# pam_env.conf (5)     - the environment variables config files
# ...

The command checks all of the installed man pages and package descriptions, however there are circumstances where this could leave out some relevant commands.

Sharing **vscode** extensions

Microsoft created a modular text editor (referred to as vscode or just code on the command line) that is easy to install and use across platforms including integration with Docker containers and WSL2.

Install #

Use this link and follow the instructions to install vscode for your platform/OS: https://code.visualstudio.com/download

Ubuntu #

For Ubuntu, choose either CLI/x64 or .deb/x64 options.

Basic usage #

• Icons along left-side: Open different editor environments or side-bars including extension browser, file explorer, and git information.
• Command palette: Most actions or options are available from either shortcut-key-combinations or the command palatte which is a fuzzy-matching command search accessible with CTL+SHIFT+p.

Extensions #

vscode provides a mechanism to install official and community extensions to tailor the editor for specific code/development tasks and support for enhanced features when editing a multitude of plain text formats.

The IndieWeb

According to the eponymous IndieWeb.org, “IndieWeb” is “a people-focused alternative to the ‘corporate web’.” In 2024, it’s not necessary to describe the cons associated with the on-going centralization and corporatization of the internet.

The primary tenets of this alternative to the current Web2.0 trends are:

1. Own your data.
2. Use and publish with focus on human visibility before machine-readability.
3. Make what you need.
4. Use what you make.
5. Document it, your stuff, the journey, whatever.
6. Open source.
7. UX/Design before plumbing.
8. Make it modular.
9. Design to last.
10. Plurality of components, approaches, and implementations.
11. Keep it weird, interesting, and fun!

In support of these tenets, the movement promotes small modular components over monolithic and monocultural stacks; creating “a community of independent and personal websites connected by open standards and based on the principles of: owning your domain and using it as your primary online identity, publishing on your own site first (optionally elsewhere), and owning your content.”