Yet the command line can be a highly efficient way of getting things done in the Linux world--it's often a much simpler, easier and more direct method than clicking through all the menu choices, in fact.

I believe fear of the command line is one of the newcomers to Linux sometimes make. For that reason, let's look at some of the main commands any Linux user should know.

1. man

I begin with the "man" command because in many ways it's the most fundamental. This command is what you should use when you want to learn more about another command.

Essentially, "man" displays online manual pages to provide a basic introduction to the various other commands that are available. Using it can help you understand the functions of those commands as well as how to use them. You can even type "man man" to get the man page for "man" itself.