Java Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 1
An Embarrassment of Riches:
The Linux Environment
The reader is introduced to the vast possibilities of the Linux command line,
and excuses are made for its eclecticism.
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Some basic shell commands are described in this chapter, especially those relat-
ed to some common programming tasks. Used as a toolkit, they can be a handy
collection of tools for everyday use.
Linux provides an incredible array of such tools, useful for any develop-
ment effort, Java or otherwise. They will be important not only for the develop-
ment of your Java code, but for all the hundreds of related housekeeping tasks
associated with programming and with managing your development environ-
ment. A few tools are described briefly in this chapter, to hint at what can be
done and to whet your appetite for more.
We will also describe a command which will help you learn about other
commands. Even so, it may be quite worth your while to have another topic
about UNIX/Linux handy. If there is something you, as a programmer, need
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