The Linux rm command deletes files and directories. To use this tool safely, you need to be certain what’s going to happen when you hit “Enter.”

USB memory sticks can be used to steal data from your Linux computer. USBGuard lets you set rules governing the use of USB memory sticks, like a firewall for USB storage devices.

The Qt file manager called QtFM has great features, such as storing custom commands so you don’t need to open a Linux terminal window to run them. The only drawback is getting it installed. Let’s look at what makes this file browser special and how you can (maybe) try it out.

Like most operating systems, Linux supports filenames with spaces in them. But using these filenames on the command line isn’t always straightforward. Here are several ways you can handle filenames containing spaces.

The rm and  rmdir commands delete files and directories on Linux, macOS, and other Unix-like operating systems. They’re similar to the del and  deltree commands in Windows and DOS. These commands are very powerful and have quite a few options. It is important to note that files and directories deleted using rm and rmdir do not get moved to the Trash. They are immediately removed from your computer. If you accidentally delete files using these commands, the only way you’ll be able to restore them is from a backup.

The df and du commands report on disk space usage from within the Bash shell used on Linux, macOS, and many other Unix-like operating systems.These commands let you easily identify what’s using up your system’s storage.

Tar files are compressed archives. You’ll encounter them frequently while using a Linux distribution like Ubuntu or even while using the terminal on macOS.

The wc command is a small application. It’s one of the core Linux utilities, so there is no need to install it. It’ll already be on your Linux computer. You can describe what it does in a very few words. It counts the lines, words, and bytes in a file or selection of files and prints the result in a terminal window. It can also take its input from the STDIN stream, meaning the text you want it to process can be piped into it. This is where wc really starts to add value.

It is a great example of the Linux mantra of “do one thing and do it well.” Because it accepts piped input, it can be used in multi-command incantations. As we’ll see, this little standalone utility is actually a great team player.

One way I use wc is as a placeholder in a complicated command or alias I’m cooking up. If the finished command has the potential to be destructive and delete files, I often use wc as a stand-in for the real, dangerous command. That way, during the development of the command I get visual feedback that each file is being processed as I expected. There’s no chance of anything bad happening while I’m wrestling with the syntax.

As simple as wc is, there are still a few small quirks that you need to know about.

Ubuntu Linux is feature rich and comes with a curated selection of preinstalled software. Dig just a little bit deeper though, and you’ll find some features you ought to be using.