Ubuntu cheat sheet

PRIVILEGES

• sudo command – run command as root
• sudo -s – open a root shell
• sudo -s -u user – open a shell as user
• sudo -k – forget sudo passwords
• gksudo command – visual sudo dialog (GNOME)
• kdesudo command – visual sudo dialog (KDE)
• sudo visudo – edit /etc/sudoers
• gksudo nautilus – root file manager (GNOME)
• kdesudo konqueror – root file manager (KDE)
• passwd – change your password

DISPLAY

• sudo /etc/init.d/gdm restart – restart X and return to login (GNOME)
• sudo /etc/init.d/kdm restart – restart X and return to login (KDE)
• (file) /etc/X11/xorg.conf – display configuration
• sudo dexconf – reset xorg.conf configuration
• Ctrl+Alt+Bksp – restart X display if frozen
• Ctrl+Alt+FN – switch to tty N
• Ctrl+Alt+F7 – switch back to X display

SYSTEM SERVICES

• start service – start job service (Upstart)
• stop service – stop job service (Upstart)
• status service – check if service is running(Upstart)
• /etc/init.d/service start – start service(SysV)
• /etc/init.d/service stop – stop service (SysV)
• /etc/init.d/service status – check service(SysV)
• /etc/init.d/service restart – restart service(SysV)
• runlevel – get current runlevel

PACKAGE MANAGEMENT

• apt-get update – refresh available updates
• apt-get upgrade – upgrade all packages
• apt-get dist-upgrade – upgrade with package replacements; upgrade Ubuntu version
• apt-get install pkg – install pkg
• apt-get purge pkg – uninstall pkg
• apt-get autoremove – remove obsolete packages
• apt-get -f install – try to fix broken packages
• dpkg --configure -a – try to fix broken packages
• dpkg -i pkg.deb – install file pkg.deb
• (file) /etc/apt/sources.list – APT repository list

NETWORK

• ifconfig – show network information
• iwconfig – show wireless information
• sudo iwlist scan – scan for wireless networks
• sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart – reset network for manual configurations
• (file) /etc/network/interfaces – manual configuration
• ifup interface – bring interface online
• ifdown interface – disable interface

SPECIAL PACKAGES

• ubuntu-desktop – standard Ubuntu environment
• kubuntu-desktop – KDE desktop
• xubuntu-desktop – XFCE desktop
• ubuntu-minimal – core Ubuntu utilities
• ubuntu-standard – standard Ubuntu utilities
• ubuntu-restricted-extras – non-free, but useful
• kubuntu-restricted-extras – KDE of the above
• xubuntu-restricted-extras – XFCE of the above
• build-essential – packages used to compile programs
• linux-image-generic – latest generic kernel image
• linux-headers-generic – latest build headers

FIREWALL

• ufw enable – turn on the firewall
• ufw disable – turn off the firewall
• ufw default allow – allow all connections by default
• ufw default deny – drop all connections by default
• ufw status – current status and rules
• ufw allow port – allow traffic on port
• ufw deny port – block port
• ufw deny from ip – block IP address

APPLICATION NAMES

• nautilus – file manager (GNOME)
• dolphin – file manager (KDE)
• konqueror – web browser (KDE)
• kate – text editor (KDE)
• gedit – text editor (GNOME)

SYSTEM

• Recovery - Type the phrase "REISUB" while holding down Alt and SysRq (PrintScrn) with about 1 second between each letter. Your system will reboot.
• lsb_release -a – get Ubuntu version
• uname -r – get kernel version
• uname -a – get all kernel information