10 Fun Linux Commands to Play with in Your Terminal

1. rev – Reverse Input Strings

Reverses each line of the input string. $ rev Example: entering shiyanlou outputs uolnayhsi.

2. asciiview – Display Images as ASCII Art

Install the required packages:

$ sudo apt-get install aview
$ sudo apt-get install imagemagick

Run the command to view an image: $ asciiview shiyanlou.png -driver curses The image is rendered as ASCII characters in the terminal.

3. sl – Steam Locomotive Animation

Install and run a playful train animation that moves from right to left:

$ sudo apt-get install sl
$ sl

4. aafire – Terminal Fire Effect

Install the library and launch a fire animation:

$ sudo apt-get install libaa-bin
$ aafire

5. cmatrix – Matrix‑style Scrolling Text

Install and start the iconic "Matrix" effect; press Ctrl+C to stop:

$ sudo apt-get install cmatrix
$ cmatrix

6. factor – Prime Factorization

Factorizes numbers, useful for quick math checks: $ factor 60 Outputs the prime factors of 60.

7. oneko – Cat That Follows Your Mouse

Install and run a cute animated cat that chases the cursor; press Ctrl+C to exit:

$ sudo apt-get install oneko
$ oneko

8. boxes – Create ASCII Boxes Around Text

Install and use to wrap text or commands in decorative boxes:

$ sudo apt-get install boxes
$ echo "shiyanlou.com" | boxes

Various box styles are available, e.g., boxes -d dog.

9. xeyes – Graphical Eye Tracker

Install and launch a graphical program that displays a pair of eyes following the mouse pointer:

$ sudo apt-get install xeyes
$ xeyes

10. pv – Pipe Viewer for Visual Progress

Install and use to simulate typing effects or monitor data flow. Example showing a slow echo:

$ sudo apt-get install pv
$ echo "welcome to shiyanlou.com, you can learn IT by doing" | pv -qL 10

The command prints the text at a controlled rate, creating a subtitle‑like effect.