Master Linux Cheat: Quick Access to Command Examples

Why cheat?

Traditional Unix documentation tools like man and info list options and syntax but often leave users to assemble the exact command they need. The cheat utility was created to present ready‑to‑run command examples for common tasks, reducing the mental overhead of translating documentation into commands.

Installing cheat

Two implementations exist:

Go version – a compiled binary written in Go. Download the latest release from its GitHub repository, place the binary in a directory such as ~/.local/bin/ or /usr/local/bin, and ensure the directory is on your $PATH.

Bash version – a pure‑Bash script. Download the latest release and run the provided installer script: $ sh ./install-cheat.sh For Autotools‑based builds you can also compile from source:

$ aclocal ; autoconf
$ automake --add-missing ; autoreconf
$ ./configure --prefix=$HOME/.local
$ make
$ make install

Basic usage

After installation, cheat can be invoked with the name of a command to display a concise cheat sheet. Example for tar: $ cheat tar Typical sections in a tar cheat sheet include examples for creating, extracting, listing, appending, and updating archives, e.g.:

tar -c -f archive.tar file1 file2   # create archive
tar -x -f archive.tar              # extract archive
tar -t -f archive.tar              # list contents

Other useful flags: --list – list all supported cheat sheets. --fetch – download the latest cheat‑sheet collection (used by the Go version). --cat – output the cheat sheet directly to the terminal without paging.

Configuration

The Go version stores cheat‑sheet collections in directories defined by a YAML configuration file. The Bash version uses a built‑in default path that points to the GitHub repository github.com/cheat/cheatsheets. You can override the location by editing the YAML file or by passing the --fetch flag.

The pager used to display cheat sheets is taken from the PAGER environment variable. You can temporarily change it, for example: $ PAGER=most cheat less If you prefer raw output, use the --cat option:

$ cheat --catless

Extending cheat sheets

Cheat sheets are plain‑text files, so you can add your own snippets by placing a file in one of the cheat‑sheet directories. Because the collections are open‑source, you can contribute your custom sheets back to the GitHub repository.

Summary

The cheat command provides a fast, example‑driven alternative to traditional manual pages, supporting both a Go‑based binary and a Bash script. It can be installed easily, configured via environment variables or YAML, and extended with user‑contributed cheat sheets, making it a handy tool for Linux users who need quick command references.