5 Interesting Funny Commands of Linux


Linux is a powerful operating system that is loved by developers, system administrators, and computer enthusiasts alike. Not only is it highly customizable and versatile, but it's also known for its command line interface, which allows users to interact with system through a series of text commands. And while Linux is often seen as a serious and utilitarian tool, it also has a fun and playful side, with a range of amusing and entertaining commands that can be used to spice up your terminal sessions. In this article, we'll explore five of most interesting and funny commands of Linux, and how you can use them to add a little bit of humor to your command line interactions.

Cowsay

Cowsay is a command that generates ASCII art of a cow with a speech bubble containing text you input. It's a fun way to add a bit of personality to your terminal sessions, and can be used to create silly messages or greetings. To use cowsay, simply type command followed by your message, like so −

$ cowsay "Hello, world!"

This will generate an ASCII art cow saying "Hello, world!" in a speech bubble. You can also use cowsay with other animals or objects by specifying -f flag followed by name of animal or object. For example −

$ cowsay -f tux "I love Linux!"

This will generate an ASCII art of Tux, Linux penguin, saying "I love Linux!" in a speech bubble.

Fortune

Fortune is a command that generates a random quote or saying from a database of thousands of entries. These entries can range from serious and inspirational to humorous and absurd, making fortune a great tool for injecting a bit of randomness and humor into your terminal sessions. To use fortune, simply type command followed by any optional flags, like so −

$ fortune

This will generate a random quote or saying from fortune database. You can also use fortune with optional flags to specify a particular category of quotes or sayings. For example, to generate a quote from "humorists" category, you can use -o flag like so −

$ fortune -o humorists

This will generate a random quote from a humorist in fortune database.

Sl

Sl (short for "steam locomotive") is a command that generates an ASCII art of a steam locomotive that appears to be running across your terminal window. It's a fun and whimsical command that can make your terminal sessions a bit more entertaining. To use sl, simply type command, like so −

$ sl

This will generate an ASCII art of a steam locomotive that appears to be running across your terminal window. You can also use sl with optional flags to change behavior of command. For example, you can use -l flag to make locomotive whistle as it passes by, like so −

$ sl -l

This will generate an ASCII art of a steam locomotive that whistles as it runs across your terminal window.

Figlet

Figlet is a command that generates ASCII art of text in a variety of different fonts. It's a fun and creative way to add a bit of flair to your terminal sessions, and can be used to create custom banners or headings. To use figlet, simply type command followed by text you want to convert into ASCII art, like so −

$ figlet "Hello, world!"

This will generate an ASCII art of text "Hello, world!" in a font that resembles large block letters. You can also use figlet with optional flags to specify a particular font or output style.

For example, you can use -f flag to specify a particular font, like so −

$ figlet -f slant "Linux Rocks!"

This will generate an ASCII art of text "Linux Rocks!" in a slanted font. Figlet also supports a range of other output styles, including small, big, and banner.

Toilet

Toilet is a command that generates ASCII art of text in a variety of different styles, similar to figlet. However, toilet offers more flexibility in terms of text formatting and color options, making it a great tool for creating custom banners or headings. To use toilet, simply type command followed by text you want to convert into ASCII art, like so −

$ toilet "Welcome to Linux!"

This will generate an ASCII art of text "Welcome to Linux!" in a stylized font with default colors. You can also use toilet with optional flags to customize text formatting and color options. For example, you can use -f flag to specify a particular font, like so −

$ toilet -f mono9 "Hello, world!"

This will generate an ASCII art of text "Hello, world!" in a monospaced font with 9-pixel character width. You can also use -F flag to specify a particular color scheme, like so −

$ toilet -F metal "Linux Rocks!"

This will generate an ASCII art of text "Linux Rocks!" in a stylized font with a metallic color scheme.

Oneko

Oneko is a command that generates an animated cat that chases your mouse cursor around screen. It's a fun and playful command that can provide hours of entertainment. To use oneko, simply type command, like so −

$ oneko

This will generate an animated cat that chases your mouse cursor around screen. You can also use oneko with optional flags to customize cat's appearance or behavior.

Cmatrix

Cmatrix is a command that generates an animated matrix-style display of characters on your terminal window. It's a fun and visually impressive command that can make your terminal sessions look like something out of a sci-fi movie. To use cmatrix, simply type command, like so −

$ cmatrix

This will generate an animated matrix-style display of characters on your terminal window. You can also use cmatrix with optional flags to customize display style or behavior.

Rev

Rev is a command that reverses characters in each line of text that you input. It's a simple but effective command that can be used to create humorous or cryptic messages. To use rev, simply type command followed by your message, like so −

$ rev "Hello, world!"

This will generate text "!dlrow ,olleH" which is reversed version of "Hello, world!".

Lolcat

Lolcat is a command that adds rainbow colors to text that you input. It's a fun and whimsical command that can make your terminal sessions look more playful and lighthearted. To use lolcat, simply type command followed by your message, like so −

$ echo "Linux is awesome!" | lolcat

This will generate text "Linux is awesome!" with rainbow colors.

Nyancat

Nyancat is a command that generates an animated cat with a rainbow trail that flies across your terminal window. It's a fun and visually impressive command that can provide hours of entertainment. To use nyancat, simply type command, like so −

$ telnet nyancat.dakko.us

This will connect you to a server that generates nyancat animation. You can also use nyancat with optional flags to customize animation style or behavior.

Conclusion

Linux is a powerful and versatile operating system that offers a range of interesting and fun commands for users to explore. Whether you're looking to inject a bit of humor into your terminal sessions or simply want to customize your command line interactions, these five commands are sure to provide hours of entertainment and creativity. So next time you're using Linux, why not try out cowsay, fortune, sl, figlet, or toilet and see what kind of fun and whimsical creations you can come up with!

Updated on: 11-Apr-2023

4K+ Views

Kickstart Your Career

Get certified by completing the course

Get Started
Advertisements