Some replacements I enjoy on the terminal….
If you’ve been using Linux for a while, you’ve probably noticed something: many of the classic command-line tools haven’t changed much in decades. They work, sure, but they’re not exactly user-friendly or efficient by today’s standards.
The good news? Developers have created modern alternatives that are faster, prettier, and easier to use. Here are nine tools that can genuinely boost your productivity in the terminal.
1. eza: Make Directory Listings Beautiful Again
Replaces: ls (and the older exa)
Remember squinting at plain ls output trying to distinguish files from directories? Those days are over. eza brings colors, icons, and even Git status integration to your directory listings.
Why it’s worth switching:
- Color-coded output with file type icons makes scanning directories effortless
- See Git status at a glance without running separate commands
- Tree view with
--treeflag for visualizing directory structures - Smart sorting options for permissions, symlinks, and file types
Installation is straightforward on most distributions. On Ubuntu/Debian, just use apt, and check the repository documentation for other systems.
2. bat: cat with Superpowers
Replaces: cat
Think of bat as cat, but actually designed for humans. It includes syntax highlighting, line numbers, and Git integration right out of the box.
Why it’s worth switching:
- Syntax highlighting for over 100 programming languages
- Built-in paging so you don’t need to pipe to
less - Shows line numbers and Git diffs automatically
- Works seamlessly in pipes just like
cat
Quick tip: On Ubuntu/Debian, the command is installed as batcat to avoid conflicts. Add alias bat='batcat' to your .bashrc or .zshrc to use it as bat.
3. btop: System Monitoring That Doesn’t Hurt Your Eyes
Replaces: top (improves on htop)
If you’ve ever used top, you know it gets the job done but feels like looking at a spreadsheet from 1985. htop was a big improvement, and btop takes it even further with gorgeous graphs and mouse support.
Why it’s worth switching:
- Real-time visual graphs for CPU, RAM, disk, and network usage
- Full mouse and keyboard navigation
- Easy process filtering and searching
- Looks professional right out of the box
Both htop and btop are available in most package repositories.
4. dust: See What’s Eating Your Disk Space
Replaces: du
Ever run du and immediately regretted it? Raw numbers scrolling past don’t help much when you’re trying to free up space. dust shows disk usage in a visual tree layout with color bars, making it instantly clear what’s taking up space.
Why it’s worth switching:
- Visual output with bars showing relative sizes
- Human-readable format by default
- Written in Rust for blazing-fast performance
- Spot large files and folders at a glance
Install via deb-get, brew, snap, or other package managers listed on their GitHub.
5. fd: File Finding Without the Headaches
Replaces: find
The find command is powerful but notoriously confusing. fd keeps the power but ditches the arcane syntax that requires googling every time you use it.
Why it’s worth switching:
- Simple syntax:
fd txtinstead offind . -name "*.txt" - Ignores hidden files and
.gitignoreentries by default - Parallel search for faster results
- Much less typing, fewer mistakes
Install with apt install fd-find on Ubuntu/Debian, or check the manual for other systems.
6. ripgrep: Searching at Lightning Speed
Replaces: grep
ripgrep (command: rg) is a recursive search tool that’s not just faster than grep it’s 10-100x faster. It also has smart defaults, automatically ignoring .git directories and build folders.
Why it’s worth switching:
- Dramatically faster than
grepandack - Regex and multi-line search support
- Respects
.gitignoreautomatically - Perfect for developers and system administrators
Install via your package manager (apt install ripgrep, brew install ripgrep) or grab a release from GitHub.
7. tldr: Get to the Point
Replaces: man
Man pages are comprehensive, but let’s be honest: they’re often overwhelming when you just need to remember how to use a command. tldr (Too Long; Didn’t Read) gives you concise, example-based help.
Why it’s worth switching:
- Clean examples instead of walls of documentation
- Shows common use cases first
- Much easier for beginners
- Works offline once cached
Available in most package repositories, and there’s even a browser version if you don’t want to install anything.
8. zoxide: Jump Anywhere Instantly
Replaces: cd
Tired of typing long paths? zoxide learns which directories you visit most and lets you jump to them with just a few keystrokes using fuzzy matching.
Why it’s worth switching:
- Learns your habits over time
- Fuzzy matching means
z doccan take you to~/Documents/projects - Works across bash, zsh, fish, and other shells
- Saves countless keystrokes every day
Check the official instructions for installation and shell integration setup.
9. dua: Interactive Disk Cleanup
Replaces: df and ncdu
dua (Disk Usage Analyzer) combines fast CLI output with an interactive terminal interface. Running dua i gives you an explorable view where you can navigate directories and delete large files on the spot.
Why it’s worth switching:
- Interactive terminal UI for easy exploration
- Parallel scanning for speed
- Automatic sorting by size
- Makes cleanup sessions much faster
Available via apt, dnf, brew, and other package managers, with manual installation instructions on GitHub.
Making the Switch
You don’t have to replace everything at once. Try one or two tools that address your biggest pain points, then gradually add more as you get comfortable. Most of these tools can coexist with their traditional counterparts, so there’s no risk in experimenting.
The terminal doesn’t have to feel stuck in the past. These modern tools prove you can have both power and usability, and maybe even enjoy working in the command line a little more.