Living in the Linux Terminal: Having fun in the Terminal

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One of the great things about using Linux is the power and flexibility of the terminal, but many people shy away from the command line due to its perceived difficulty. However, with a little patience and some creativity, the terminal can become a playground for anyone, from experienced geeks to curious beginners. Here’s a comprehensive guide to having fun in the terminal.

Games in the Terminal

Have you ever been bored and wondered if there was a way to play a game directly from the terminal? Guess what – there is! Here are some of the games available for the command line:

• nethack: This game has been around for quite a while and can transport you to a world full of adventure and fantasy.

• tetris: Yes, you can play tetris directly from the terminal. This classic game has been a favorite for generations and is still just as fun as ever, even without glossy graphics.

• 2048: This is a puzzle game that has been very popular in recent years. The objective is to combine pieces to reach the number 2048.

These are just a few examples, but there are many more games available, and installing them is easy. Simply search for the game name in your distribution’s package manager, and you’re ready to start playing in no time.

Customizing Your Terminal

Another way to make the terminal more fun is to customize it to your liking. Here are some things you can do:

• Change the color scheme: Most terminal emulators allow users to customize the background and text colors. You can experiment with different color schemes until you find one that suits your style.
• Create aliases: Aliases are shortcuts that save you time by reducing the amount of typing required to execute commands. You can define your own aliases by editing your .bashrc or .zshrc file.
• Install a custom shell prompt: The shell prompt is the text string that appears before each command. By default, most terminal emulators use a rather plain prompt. However, you can install custom prompts that are more visually appealing or display information such as the current system load or the current time.

Terminal Hacks

Now that you have customized your prompt and installed some games, let’s take a look at some fun things you can do within the terminal:

• Create a personalized signature: Adding a personalized signature to your terminal can add some charm to your command line. You can create a signature by adding the following line to your .bashrc or .zshrc file:
• Random cowsay: Cowsay is a program that generates ASCII pictures of a cow with a message. You can install it on your system and call it whenever you need some words of wisdom or just a laugh. For example, try running fortune | cowsay to have the cow deliver a random fortune cookie saying.
• Screensavers: Believe it or not, you can also run screensavers on your terminal. One example is cmatrix, which displays a matrix-like animation on your terminal.
• ASCII art: You can also use your terminal to create your own ASCII art. There are numerous websites and tools available that allow you to convert images into ASCII art, or you can create your own by using different characters and symbols to form shapes.

Key Takeaways

Here are some key takeaways from the above post about having fun in the Linux terminal:

• The Linux terminal can seem intimidating at first, but it can be a fun place to explore with some creativity and patience.
• There are many games available on the command line, such as nethack, tetris, and 2048. Installing them is easy by searching for them in your distribution’s package manager.
• You can customize your terminal by changing the color scheme, creating aliases, and installing a custom shell prompt.
• There are many fun things you can do within the terminal, such as creating a personalized signature, using the cowsay program for ASCII pictures, running screensavers like cmatrix, and making your own ASCII art.

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Access the Living in the Linux Terminal: Introduction to the Terminal (Previous post in Living in the Linux Terminal) by clicking HERE

This is a multi-part series on DevOps 101. Access the complete DevOps series by clicking HERE