if you ever get lost or confused and you've fotgotten commands look at the man pages. Great for installed package manuals too.

Linux Manual Pages Breakdown

Linux manual pages (or "man pages") are the primary documentation system in Linux and other Unix-like systems. They're organized into numbered sections, each covering different aspects of the system.

Manual Page Sections

1. Section 1: User Commands

   • Programs and applications that users can run
   • Examples: ls, grep, find, cp

2. Section 2: System Calls

   • Direct kernel functions that programs can use
   • Examples: open(), read(), write(), fork()

3. Section 3: Library Functions

   • C library functions
   • Examples: printf(), malloc(), random()

4. Section 4: Special Files

   • Device files and drivers
   • Examples: /dev/null, /dev/tty

5. Section 5: File Formats

   • Configuration file formats and conventions
   • Examples: passwd, fstab, hosts

6. Section 6: Games

   • Games and recreational programs
   • Not heavily used in most distributions

7. Section 7: Miscellaneous

   • Overviews, conventions, protocols
   • Examples: regex, ascii, ip

8. Section 8: System Administration

   • Commands requiring root/administrative privileges
   • Examples: mount, ifconfig, service

9. Section 9: Kernel Routines (not on all systems)

   • Internal kernel functions documentation

More Than 8 Sections

• Depending on your Linux distribution, you might see additional sections beyond the standard 8.
• Some distros add sections for kernel internals (9), Tcl functions (n), or additional documentation (L, C, etc.).
• However, all Linux distributions include at least the main 8 sections.

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Using Man Pages

Man Pages in Linux: Overview & Usage

Man pages (manual pages) provide documentation for commands, system calls, configuration files, and other aspects of the Linux operating system. They serve as built-in reference guides.

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How to Use Man Pages

1. Viewing a Man Page

man command_name

Example:

man ls  # View documentation for the 'ls' command

2. Searching Within a Man Page

• /keyword – Search for a specific term in the man page.
• n – Jump to the next occurrence of the searched term.
• q – Exit the man page.

3. Viewing Specific Sections

Man pages are divided into sections. To specify a section:

man section_number command_name

Example:

man 2 open  # View the system call 'open' in section 2

4. Searching for Commands by Keyword

man -k keyword

Example:

man -k copy  # Find all commands related to "copy"

Equivalent to:

apropos copy

5. Display a Short Description

whatis command_name

Example:

whatis ls  # Show a brief summary of 'ls'

Additional Man Page Commands

man -f command_name  # Show relevant sections for a command  
man -a command_name  # View all available sections one by one  
man -P cat command   # Display the man page as plain text  

Man pages are an essential tool for understanding Linux commands and system functionality, making them crucial for troubleshooting and learning.

Accessing Web-Based Man Pages

Many distributions and organizations provide online versions of man pages for easier searching and sharing.

man pages can be used online but the best option is locally because the man files are stored directly in your directories.

Popular Web Man Page Repositories

Website	Description
man7.org	Extensive Linux man page collection, frequently updated.
die.net	Classic Linux man pages with a clean interface.
Ubuntu Manpages	Ubuntu-specific man pages.
FreeBSD Man Pages	BSD-based system documentation.
man.cx	Quick lookup for various Unix-based man pages.

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