Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Follow the author
OK
Efficient Linux at the Command Line: Boost Your Command-Line Skills
Purchase options and add-ons
Take your Linux skills to the next level! Whether you're a system administrator, software developer, site reliability engineer, or enthusiastic hobbyist, this practical, hands-on book will help you work faster, smarter, and more efficiently. You'll learn how to create and run complex commands that solve real business problems, process and retrieve information, and automate manual tasks.
You'll also truly understand what happens behind the shell prompt, so no matter which commands you run, you can be more successful in everyday Linux use and more competitive on the job market.
As you build intermediate to advanced command-line skills, you'll learn how to:
- Choose or construct commands that get your work done quickly
- Run commands efficiently and navigate the Linux filesystem with ease
- Build powerful, complex commands out of simpler ones
- Transform text files and query them like databases to achieve business goals
- Control Linux point-and-click features from the command line
- ISBN-101098113403
- ISBN-13978-1098113407
- Edition1st
- PublisherO'Reilly Media
- Publication dateMarch 29, 2022
- LanguageEnglish
- Dimensions7 x 0.52 x 9.19 inches
- Print length245 pages
![]() |
Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Linux Pocket Guide: Essential CommandsPaperbackFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Thursday, Jun 25
How Linux Works, 3rd Edition: What Every Superuser Should KnowPaperbackFREE Shipping by AmazonGet it as soon as Thursday, Jun 25
The Linux Command Line, 3rd Edition: A Complete IntroductionPaperback37% offWith PrimeFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Thursday, Jun 25
Linux: QuickStudy Laminated Reference Guide (Quick Study Computer)PamphletFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Thursday, Jun 25
Linux Cookbook: Essential Skills for Linux Users and System & Network AdministratorsPaperbackFREE Shipping by AmazonGet it as soon as Thursday, Jun 25Only 10 left in stock (more on the way).
Learning the bash Shell: Unix Shell Programming (In a Nutshell (O'Reilly))PaperbackFREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Thursday, Jun 25
Customers also bought or read
- How Linux Works, 3rd Edition: What Every Superuser Should Know#1 Best SellerLinux Servers
Paperback$36.47$36.47FREE delivery Thu, Jun 25 - Linux Cookbook: Essential Skills for Linux Users and System & Network Administrators
Paperback$41.99$41.99FREE delivery Thu, Jun 25 - Practical Linux System Administration: A Guide to Installation, Configuration, and Management
Paperback$53.35$53.35FREE delivery Thu, Jun 25 - grep Pocket Reference: A Quick Pocket Reference for a Utility Every Unix User Needs (Pocket Reference (O'Reilly))
Paperback$14.73$14.73Delivery Thu, Jun 25 - Learning the bash Shell: Unix Shell Programming (In a Nutshell (O'Reilly))
Paperback$23.06$23.06Delivery Thu, Jun 25 - The Linux Command Line, 2nd Edition: A Complete Introduction
Paperback$38.81$38.81FREE delivery Thu, Jun 25 - The Ultimate Linux Shell Scripting Guide: Automate, Optimize, and Empower tasks with Linux Shell Scripting
Paperback$44.99$44.99FREE delivery Thu, Jun 25 - Learning Modern Linux: A Handbook for the Cloud Native Practitioner
Paperback$31.29$31.29Delivery Thu, Jun 25 - Cybersecurity Ops with bash: Attack, Defend, and Analyze from the Command Line
Paperback$33.47$33.47Delivery Thu, Jun 25 - The Linux Programming Interface: A Linux and UNIX System Programming Handbook#1 Best SellerUnix Programming
Hardcover$63.70$63.70FREE delivery Thu, Jun 25 - Linux: The Comprehensive Guide to Mastering Linux—From Installation to Security, Virtualization, and System Administration Across All Major Distributions (Rheinwerk Computing)
Paperback$45.34$45.34FREE delivery Thu, Jun 25 - Mastering Linux Security and Hardening: A practical guide to protecting your Linux system from cyber attacks
Paperback$27.32$27.32Delivery Thu, Jun 25 - Linux Basics for Hackers, 2nd Edition: Getting Started with Networking, Scripting, and Security in Kali#1 Best SellerLinux Networking & System Administration
Paperback$22.30$22.30Delivery Thu, Jun 25 - Operating Systems: Three Easy Pieces#1 Best SellerComputer Operating Systems Theory
Paperback$28.27$28.27Delivery Thu, Jun 25 - Docker: Up & Running: Shipping Reliable Containers in Production
Paperback$39.99$39.99FREE delivery Thu, Jun 25 - Understanding Linux Network Internals: Guided Tour to Networking on Linux
Paperback$49.73$49.73FREE delivery Thu, Jun 25 - High Performance Browser Networking: What every web developer should know about networking and web performance
Paperback$32.71$32.71Delivery Thu, Jun 25 - Black Hat Bash: Creative Scripting for Hackers and Pentesters
Paperback$39.60$39.60FREE delivery Thu, Jun 25 - Ansible for DevOps: Server and configuration management for humans
Paperback$19.99$19.99Delivery Thu, Jun 25 - PowerShell Pocket Reference: Portable Help for PowerShell Scripters
Paperback$18.99$18.99Delivery Thu, Jun 25
From the brand
-
Explore Linux resources
-
More From O'Reilly
-
Sharing the knowledge of experts
O'Reilly's mission is to change the world by sharing the knowledge of innovators. For over 40 years, we've inspired companies and individuals to do new things (and do them better) by providing the skills and understanding that are necessary for success.
Our customers are hungry to build the innovations that propel the world forward. And we help them do just that.
From the Publisher
This book will take your Linux command-line skills to the next level so you can work faster, smarter, and more efficiently.
If you’re like most Linux users, you learned your early command-line skills on the job, or by reading an intro book, or by installing Linux at home and just trying things out. I’ve written this book to help you take the next step—to build intermediate to advanced skills at the Linux command line. It’s filled with techniques and concepts that I hope will transform how you interact with Linux and boost your productivity. Think of it as a second book on Linux use that takes you beyond the basics.
What You’ll Learn
This book will make you faster and more effective at three essential skills:
- Choosing or constructing commands to solve a business problem at hand
- Running those commands efficiently
- Navigating the Linux filesystem with ease
By the end, you’ll understand what happens behind the scenes when you run a command, so you can better predict the results (and not develop superstitions). You’ll see a dozen different methods for launching commands and learn when to use each one for best advantage. You’ll also learn practical tips and tricks to make you more productive, such as:
- Building complex commands out of simpler ones, step-by-step, to solve real-world problems, such as managing passwords or generating ten thousand test files
- Saving time by organizing your home directory intelligently so you don’t have to hunt for files
- Transforming text files and querying them like databases to achieve business goals
- Controlling point-and-click features of Linux from the command line, such as copying and pasting with the clipboard, and retrieving and processing web data, without lifting your hands from the keyboard
Most of all, you’ll learn general best practices so no matter which commands you run, you can become more successful in everyday Linux use and more competitive on the job market. This is the book I wish I had when I learned Linux.
What This Book Is Not
This book won’t optimize your Linux computer to make it run more efficiently. It makes you more efficient at interacting with Linux.
This book is also not a comprehensive reference for the command line—there are hundreds of commands and features that I don’t mention. This book is about expertise. It teaches a carefully selected set of command-line knowledge in a practical order to build your skills. For a reference-style guide, try my previous book, Linux Pocket Guide (O’Reilly).
Editorial Reviews
Review
"This practical book is full of command-line wisdom that you can start using today and continue to use throughout your career. Chapter 1 is worth the price of the book by itself." — Ken Hess, System Administrator
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : O'Reilly Media
- Publication date : March 29, 2022
- Edition : 1st
- Language : English
- Print length : 245 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1098113403
- ISBN-13 : 978-1098113407
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 7 x 0.52 x 9.19 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #726,500 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #20 in Unix Shell
- #45 in Linux Programming
- #81 in Linux & UNIX Administration (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Thanks for looking at my books on Amazon. I've been writing about technical/computer topics since the early 1990s, including Linux, MediaWiki, MacOS, computer security, and responsible/ethical software engineering.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonTop reviews from the United States
- 5 out of 5 stars
Excellent
Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2026A really excellent book.
It could be described as a series of working examples of
Bash shell one-liners, and short scripts. The examples are clear,
and don't seem invented just for the book, but rather are useful,
even inspiring.
The writing and explanations are great, and build up your skills as
you read.
It is also fairly comprehensive in scope, covering Bash itself
and many small Unix-y programs (ls, find, sed, awk etc.)
This is not a glorified manual. Perhaps other books by say
authors Shotts or Robbins & Beebe, might usefully complement it in that
area?
Most of all it conveys a sense of 'how to think' in Bash, the
spirit of it. Which, speaking for myself at least, may not
be obvious despite even years of use.
If you need to seriously use the command line on Linux/Unix/MacOS,
I highly recommend this.
2 people found this helpfulSending feedback...Sending feedback...HelpfulThank you for your feedback.Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try againThanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again - 5 out of 5 stars
A Treasure Trove of Technical Instruction and Reference Material
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2022As a book author myself, I understand how difficult it is to complete a technical publication. I hadn’t worked with Linux for a while, and I desperately needed a refresher.
That said, Daniel J. Barrett has done a great job explaining and demonstrating Linux command-line techniques, and his book most definitely helped me get back into the groove.
With Efficient Linux at the Command Line, Daniel has written a good book, and I’d go as far as to say it’s a great book.
At 432 pages, it's a fairly lean book by technology realm standards, but I’d go for quality over quantity any day. The book is also written so well, that you could use it as a highly effective reference, so you don’t have to memorize all the command line gems you’re bound to learn about. If I have a problem or a question that I can't resolve, I can simply turn to the index and find what I need.
Daniel’s well researched and written book reminds me why even though we have the internet, with so much information at our fingertips, there’s no substitute for a book written by an up to date, experienced and highly knowledgeable professional.
10 people found this helpfulSending feedback...Sending feedback...HelpfulThank you for your feedback.Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try againThanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again - 5 out of 5 stars
Exceptional
Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2023I'd expected this title to be a collection of handy tips and tricks to boost your command line skills. Sure enough, the book does include those.
But it also does an exceptional job of breaking down each command and option, giving you a comprehensive understanding of what each command does.
Some important tidbits of Unix/Linux theory and explanations of how shells and processes work here and there. Certainly a "must have" for anybody serious about deepening their understanding of the Linux OS
7 people found this helpfulSending feedback...Sending feedback...HelpfulThank you for your feedback.Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try againThanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again - 5 out of 5 stars
-
Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2026Sending feedback...Sending feedback...HelpfulThank you for your feedback.Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try againThanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again - 5 out of 5 stars
An extremely useful book
Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2022I've been using Linux Mint for about 7 years and have read several books on the command line. This book really helps boost me to the next level and greatly increases my efficiency. I particularly liked the method he offers to move quickly and with ease into folders many levels deep. In addition the pushd and popd commands are saving me a lot of time. I feel like I've certainly gotten my money's worth and I am only on page 67 of 230. I love the many concrete and practical suggestions.
5 people found this helpfulSending feedback...Sending feedback...HelpfulThank you for your feedback.Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try againThanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again - 5 out of 5 stars
A Great Read
Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2024This book gives a lot of great information on Linux. If you need to increase your Linux command line skills, this book is a great starter.
One person found this helpfulSending feedback...Sending feedback...HelpfulThank you for your feedback.Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try againThanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again - 5 out of 5 stars
True to the Title
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2022Lots of great tips, tricks, and insights into Linux. There are a few excellent sections on building complex commands. Beginners transitioning to intermediate and intermediate Linux users will likely get the most out of this book.
6 people found this helpfulSending feedback...Sending feedback...HelpfulThank you for your feedback.Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try againThanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again - 2 out of 5 stars
lemonade
Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2024light to read but not much is explained...In some cases explanations are arguably not precise/clear.
One person found this helpfulSending feedback...Sending feedback...HelpfulThank you for your feedback.Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try againThanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again
Top reviews from other countries
D. Newton5 out of 5 starsHighly recommended for Linux command line users
Reviewed in Australia on June 20, 2023This is a very clear logical book that is a real help for those wanting to learn more about the
command line. Most Linux users are in a sense helpless: they know how to use the nice friendly
GUI ("windows") interface in Ubuntu for example but that's it. That's fine most of the time - except
when things are not going well and then some command line skills are needed because an application
is not working and immediate help is not available. Instead of feeling helpless one can use some basic
command line skills to get things back on track.
It is not commonly appreciated that the"black box" GUI provided by the big two OS providers
fails to give the user the same ability to fix things that Linux users enjoy. There is a vast amount of
information about Linux and users can find out how it works if they are curious. The big two OS
cannot be looked at in depth by their users. Linux is open source.
Anyway, I can recommend this book as a superb text for both learning and getting a better
understanding of how to use the command line in Linux.
- espec
I wonder why people bother
with the big two operating systems except for being forced to use them because they need particular
software(Windows and iOSMOSThose that urhaveleaves little room the Windows and biiand r
ththingsnobody is around to help or because it starts to empower Linux enthusiasts with more than just the crudest ability some (and y
Sending feedback...Thanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again
inetAngel5 out of 5 starsUn sacré bon livre qui vous fera énormément progresser
Reviewed in France on February 12, 2026Ce livre permet de faire des progrès très significatifs dans la manipulation des commandes linux. C'est un livre extraordinaire bourrée d'astuces. Si vous regardez avec envie les anciens utilisateurs de linux manier avec dextérité les commandes linux, une fois que vous aurez appris ce livre je pense avec certitude que vous pourrez leur donner des leçons si vous avez tout retenus. L'avantage c'est qu'il n'est pas trop épais et vas droit a l'essentiel. C'est le livre sur linux le plus intéressant que j'ai lu. Ce livre ne se contente pas d'expliquer comment marche une commande , il montre comment les enchevêtrer entre elles pour rendre votre saisie hyper efficace. Il a le mérite de vous donner plein d'idées.
Je conseille en plus l'achat d'un autre livre : "Le Guide de survie Linux - 2e édition: L'essentiel du code et des commandes" qui liste toutes les commandes linux et détaillant leur utilisation.
Avec ces 2 livres vous serez le roi de la ligne de commande, pas besoin d'aller regarder ailleurs.
Sending feedback...Thanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again
Alejandra5 out of 5 starsSi quieres mejorar tu eficiencia en la terminal, este es tu libro
Reviewed in Spain on September 19, 2025Bastante bueno para mejorar habilidades en la terminal y bash en general. Merece la pena comprarlo!!
Sending feedback...Thanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again
Pecka5 out of 5 starsBoth for new and advanced users
Reviewed in Sweden on May 16, 2023I think this book succeeds at what it sets out to do.
The author is a good writer and explains everything in a very pedagogic way.
For a relatively short book there is a lot of information to take in. It's probably best to read it bit by bit in front of a computer, so you immediately can try out the examples one after one, and really practice and get a feel for them. Else you will probably forget a lot of it pretty quickly.
Be aware that due to the often cryptic syntax of Linux/UNIX commands, especially when combing them, the more advanced stuff often looks almost incomprehensible. It will certainly help to be a more experienced user to get something out of those parts and concepts.
Still, I'm pretty sure this is one of the best books about the command line.
Sending feedback...Thanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again
kryten5 out of 5 starsExceptionally good
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 20, 2024O'Reilly have been releasing some real stinkers over the last few years. Seems that almost anyone who can spell the app or framework or whatever it is, qualifies to write a book about it and O'Reilly will happily release it and charge 40UKP for you to find out that its actually junk.
This book is certainly not in that category! This is the proverbial hidden gem, a book you won't want to put down because every page rewards you with something interesting or useful, oftentimes both.
I'd been a reasonably proficient shell user for more years than I would care to admit but always knew that there was more to learn and smarter ways to do things. This was exactly the resource I was looking for, The material follows a perfect gradient between easy and useful but tracks you toward more complex but insanely useful.
The explanations are fantastic. The author has the knack of being able to describe whats going on in a way that connects with the reader and hammers home the learning.
I'm a fan of this book and hope O'Reilly take heed and try to use this one as a template going forward (if you are going to charge > 40UKP for a book, it really should be decent).
If you are looking to level up your Linux shell game, this is the one to buy.
Sending feedback...Thanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again
















