Linux commands that will put a smile on your face

The Linux command line is a powerful tool for managing your system. But it’s also hiding some playful and creative commands that are sure to put a smile on your face. These commands offer a delightful departure from the daily routine, reminding us that Linux is about more than just efficiency. It’s also about fun and experimentation.

In this article, I’ll show you five Linux commands that are more than just utilities. They’re small bursts of joy and imagination, adding a touch of charm to your digital interactions.

1. sl

The sl command is designed to add a humorous surprise to those who fat-finger the common ls command. When executed, it showcases an animated steam locomotive gracefully moving across the screen of your terminal. All aboard!

2. rev

The rev command reverses the characters of each line of input text.

$ rev
The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog
god yzal eht revo depmuj xof nworb kciuq ehT

This one might seem silly, but it’s actually a useful command.
For instance, if you need just the file extension of a file, with no “Bash-isms” allowed:

$ echo example.txt | rev | cut -b3
txt
$ echo example.jpg | rev | cut -b3 | rev
jpg

3. Nyan Cat

The nyancat command displays an animated Nyan Cat in your terminal. For those days when you could use a little whimsy.

4. oneko

The oneko command displays a small cat (“neko” means cat in Japanese) that chases your mouse cursor around the screen.
Forget about a useless mouse cursor, with this command you’ll have a dedicated feline assistant tirelessly chasing pests for you.

5. cmatrix

The cmatrix command displays a simulation of the “digital rain” effect from the movie “The Matrix.”
It creates a scrolling display of characters reminiscent of the movie’s iconic visual trademark.

Where to find them

The availability of these commands varies depending on your Linux distribution. You’ll find a few of them installed by default, but you can add them using your distribution’s package manager (like APT or DNF) or software center. When you spend a lot of time in a terminal, having some distractions can be nice.
What’s your favorite terminal-based distraction?