Open LINUX File
Over the years, the Linux operating system and its numerous distributions have gained enormous popularity among software developers and computer enthusiasts. Linux, with its customizable and open-source nature, often deals with a multitude of file types and formats. This article aims to discuss various Linux file extensions and the many ways to handle them.
.DEB Files
Debian, one of Linux's oldest and most trusted distributions, commonly uses the .DEB file extension to handle software packages. The extension .DEB stands for Debian software package. Tools for managing these files include dpkg and apt-get, both of which are usually pre-installed on Debian-based systems such as Ubuntu.
.RPM Files
Another popular Linux distribution Fedora, and several others based on it, rely on the .RPM file format for software management. RPM stands for Red Hat Package Manager. The yum and rpm commands are both used to handle .RPM files.
.TAR Files and .TAR Compressed Variants
.TAR files, or Tape Archive files, are typically used to store multiple files within one larger file without compression. However, variants of this file .tar.gz, .tar.bz2, and .tar.xz, apply different types of compression to the .tar file. The tar command is used for handling both uncompressed and compressed .tar file types.
.SH Files
.SH files are shell script files that are usually editable and often used to automate command sequences. They can be executed by bash, the most common shell in Linux, as well as other shell interpreters. A simple command, chmod +x [filename.sh], can make the .sh file executable.
Tutorial Files
Typically text files with .txt extension, tutorial files provide step-by-step guidance to complete various tasks in Linux. They can be viewed with simple text editors such as nano, vim, and gedit.
LINUX File Important Information
Handling Linux file extensions is somewhat different from handling files on Windows or Mac systems. Instead of relying on the file extension to determine the file's content and the program to open it with, Linux uses the file's metadata. Therefore, it is important to understand the basic commands and tools for dealing with the most common Linux file formats noted above. Furthermore, it's prudent to note that while the Linux terminal is a powerful tool, it is also very literal. A small typo in a command could have unintended consequences, so careful typing and an understanding of the command functionality is advised.