5 Deprecated Linux Commands and Alternative Tools You Should Use

Linux is an open-source operating system that offers a wide range of tools and commands for users to carry out various tasks. However, some commands are now deprecated and are no longer supported by Linux developers. As a result, it's important to find alternative tools to replace these deprecated commands. In this article, we'll discuss 5 deprecated Linux commands and their alternative tools that you can use.

What are Deprecated Commands?

Deprecated commands are those that have been removed from a current version of an operating system because they are no longer necessary, are considered outdated or pose a security risk. This means that they are no longer supported by developers, and using them may cause your system to malfunction or become vulnerable to attacks.

Ifconfig

Ifconfig is a command used to configure network interfaces on Linux machines. However, it is now considered a deprecated command because it has been replaced by ip command, which offers more advanced features and better control over network configuration.

The alternative command to ifconfig is ip command, which provides a more powerful and flexible network configuration interface. For example, you can use following command to list all network interfaces −

$ ip link show

To enable or disable an interface, use following commands −

$ ip link set <interface> up
$ ip link set <interface> down

To configure an IP address, use following commands −

$ ip addr add <ip-address>/<netmask> dev <interface>
$ ip addr del <ip-address>/<netmask> dev <interface>

fdisk

fdisk is a command-line utility used to manage disk partitions on Linux machines. However, it is now deprecated and has been replaced by parted command, which offers more advanced features and better control over disk partitioning.

The alternative command to fdisk is parted command, which provides a more powerful and flexible disk partitioning interface. For example, you can use following command to list all disk partitions −

$ parted -l

To create a new partition, use following commands −

$ parted /dev/sdb mkpart primary ext4 0% 100%

netstat

netstat is a command used to display network connections on Linux machines. However, it is now considered a deprecated command because it has been replaced by ss command, which offers more advanced features and better control over network connections.

The alternative command to netstat is ss command, which provides a more powerful and flexible network connection interface. For example, you can use following command to list all network connections −

$ ss -a

To filter connections by port number, use following command −

$ ss -a | grep <port-number>

route

route is a command used to display or manipulate IP routing table on Linux machines. However, it is now considered a deprecated command because it has been replaced by ip route command, which offers more advanced features and better control over routing tables.

The alternative command to route is ip route command, which provides a more powerful and flexible routing interface. For example, you can use following command to list all routes −

$ ip route show

To add or delete a route, use following commands −

$ ip route add <network>/<mask> via <gateway>
$ ip route del <network>/<mask> via <gateway>

ifup and ifdown

ifup and ifdown are commands used to bring up or take down network interfaces on Linux machines. However, they are now considered deprecated commands because they have been replaced by ip command, which offers more advanced features and better control over network configuration.

The alternative command to ifup and ifdown is ip command, which provides a more powerful and flexible network configuration interface. For example, you can use following command to bring up an interface −

$ ip link set <interface> up

And to take down an interface −

$ ip link set <interface> down

service

The service command is a deprecated tool used to start, stop, and manage system services on Linux machines. It has been replaced by systemctl command, which provides a more advanced and efficient interface for managing system services.

For example, you can use following command to start a service −

$ systemctl start <service-name>

And to stop a service −

$ systemctl stop <service-name>

sysv-rc-conf

sysv-rc-conf is a deprecated command used to manage system services on Linux machines. It has been replaced by update-rc.d command, which provides a more advanced and efficient interface for managing system services.

For example, you can use following command to enable a service −

$ update-rc.d <service-name> enable

And to disable a service −

$ update-rc.d <service-name> disable

iptables

iptables is a deprecated command used to configure firewall rules on Linux machines. It has been replaced by nftables command, which provides a more advanced and efficient interface for configuring firewall rules.

For example, you can use following command to list all firewall rules −

$ nft list ruleset

And to add a firewall rule −

$ nft add rule <rule-definition>

cron

cron is a deprecated command used to schedule recurring tasks on Linux machines. It has been replaced by systemd timer unit, which provides a more advanced and efficient interface for scheduling tasks.

For example, you can use following command to list all timer units −

$ systemctl list-timers

And to create a new timer unit −

$ sudo systemctl edit --full .timer

Conclusion

In conclusion, deprecated commands are those that are no longer supported by Linux developers and may pose security risks or cause your system to malfunction. It's important to find alternative tools to replace these commands to ensure that your system is secure and functioning properly. In this article, we discussed 5 deprecated Linux commands and their alternative tools that you can use, including ifconfig, fdisk, netstat, route, and ifup/ifdown. By using these alternative tools, you can ensure that your Linux machine is running efficiently and securely.