I know that nowadays, on almost any Linux distro, whether it’s Ubuntu, Fedora, or Linux Mint, you can do almost everything through the graphical user interface. You don’t need to learn command-line syntax or use the terminal at all.
But here’s the thing: there are many situations where using CLI tools instead of graphical tools actually speeds up my daily workflow, makes it more efficient, and honestly, a lot more enjoyable. With the right tools, I can turn a slow, repetitive workflow into something that feels effortless. A few smart utilities can save minutes every day, and those minutes add up quickly.
Before jumping into the first tool, let me clarify that there are many alternatives to the tools I’ll mention. If you think one tool is better than another and prefer to use that instead, that’s totally fine. I’m not forcing you to use these, I’m just giving you ideas. You can also share your favorite tools in the comments and tell us why you like them and how they compare to others.
1. TLDR
By default, Linux commands come with manual pages, also known as man pages. These contain detailed information, but sometimes you just want a quick example, and that’s exactly what TLDR provides.
TLDR stands for “Too Long; Didn’t Read,” and that perfectly describes its purpose. It shows short, practical examples instead of long technical documentation. The reason I install it before any other tool is that it helps me a lot whenever I forget a command while working in the terminal.
For example, if I forget how to extract a .tar.gz file, I can run tldr tar in the terminal. Within seconds, I see common usage examples, typical flags, and simple commands.
This tool saves time and reduces frustration. I don’t need to scroll through hundreds of lines just to find one example. On Linux Mint, the tldr package isn’t available in the default APT repositories, so you can install it using npm instead.
npm install -g tldrTo use it, simply type tldr followed by any command—for example, tldr tar will show common examples and flags for the tar command.
2. Vim
Most Linux systems include a lightweight version of Vim by default, and Linux Mint is no exception. You can use it for basic editing, but if your system doesn’t include it, or if you want the full-featured version, I recommend installing it using your package manager.
The easiest way is to open the Software Manager, search for vim, and install it, or run this:
sudo apt install vimOnce installed, you can open it by simply typing vim in the terminal. If you’ve never used Vim before, it might feel unusual at first. It doesn’t behave like traditional editors such as Notepad or other graphical text editors. Instead, it runs in the terminal and uses keyboard commands for navigation and editing.
That might sound complicated, but once you learn the basics, it becomes incredibly fast. You can use Vim for editing configuration files, writing quick notes, updating scripts, or fixing files on remote servers.
One of the biggest advantages of Vim, for me, is its reliability. It exists on nearly every Linux distribution. When I SSH into another system, I know Vim will be there.
Over time, I’ve added plugins, syntax highlighting, and custom key mappings, turning Vim into a lightweight coding environment without slowing down my system. If you’re new to Vim, start small. Learn how to open a file, save changes, and quit safely—those few commands unlock a powerful workflow.
3. Byobu
Byobu is a terminal multiplexer that lets you run multiple terminal sessions inside a single window. You can split your screen horizontally or vertically, open new windows, detach from sessions, and return to them later. Even if you disconnect, your work keeps running in the background.
Working in the terminal often means handling multiple tasks at once, you might be updating your system, editing files, and monitoring logs simultaneously. Byobu makes this much easier by organizing everything into a single, efficient workspace.
The reason I use Byobu instead of raw Tmux is simple: it provides a more user-friendly interface with sensible defaults. It feels like having multiple tabs in one terminal window without needing to memorize complex keybindings.
You can use Byobu to run background processes, keep long-running tasks alive, split your screen into panels, and reconnect to sessions after disconnecting.
For example, imagine running a large update over SSH and losing your internet connection. Without Byobu or Tmux, that process would stop. But with Byobu, it continues running in the background, and when you reconnect, everything is still there.
Another feature I really like is session persistence. I can close my terminal, reopen it hours later, and continue exactly where I left off.
Byobu also comes preconfigured with useful keybindings and a clean status bar that shows system information like CPU usage, memory, and the date. For example, you can press F2 to open a new window and F3/F4 to switch between them—it just works out of the box.
On Linux Mint, you can install it from the Software Manager or by using the APT command.
sudo apt install byobu.4. Zsh and Oh My Zsh
Linux Mint uses Bash by default, and while Bash works perfectly fine, I switch to Zsh because it feels more modern, powerful, and flexible. On top of that, I installed Oh My Zsh, which enhances the shell with themes, plugins, and a lot of smart features.
Right away, you notice improvements like better tab completion, command auto-suggestions, colorful prompts, Git integration, and strong plugin support. Typing becomes faster because Zsh suggests commands from your history as you type—it almost feels like predictive text on a smartphone.
One of my favorite things is customization. With themes, I can clearly see my current directory, Git branch, and system status directly in the prompt. It’s not just about looks—it actually helps me work faster.
Plugins make an even bigger difference. For example, zsh-autosuggestions shows command completions as you type, and you can accept them instantly. After repeating the same long commands over time, this feature alone saves me a lot of time every day.
Another advantage is smarter tab completion. Zsh can intelligently expand paths and commands, making navigation much quicker and easier compared to Bash.
Oh My Zsh makes managing all of this simple. It comes with sensible defaults, a large collection of plugins, and a huge community constantly improving it.
To set it up, first install Zsh.
sudo apt install zshThen install Oh My Zsh using the official script.
sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)"Finally, switch your default shell.
chsh -s $(which zsh)Log out and log back in, and you’ll feel the difference immediately.
I use this setup every day, and it genuinely makes working in the terminal faster, smarter, and more enjoyable.
5. Curl
Whenever I need to interact with the internet from the terminal, Curl is my go-to tool. At its core, Curl is used to transfer data to and from servers, and it supports a wide range of protocols like HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, and more.
With Curl, you can download files, fetch web content, test APIs, send HTTP requests, and even inspect response headers—all directly from the command line.
For example, I often download scripts like this.
curl -O https://example.com/script.shThat single command instantly downloads the file to my system.
Curl is especially useful for API development and debugging. Instead of opening a heavy GUI tool, I can quickly send GET or POST requests from the terminal and inspect the response right there. It’s fast, lightweight, and gives you full control over what you’re sending and receiving.
I also use it for quick server checks, testing webhooks, or grabbing raw webpage data when needed. In many cases, it quietly powers the installation of other tools as well.
Think of Curl as a bridge between your terminal and the web—a simple but powerful tool that handles network communication with precision.
On Linux Mint, it usually comes pre-installed, but if not, you can install it with.
sudo apt install curlIt’s one of those tools that quickly becomes part of your daily workflow without you even realizing it.
6. Btop
Monitoring system performance is important, especially when you’re troubleshooting slowdowns. Linux already includes tools like top and htop, but I prefer Btop because it’s more visual, interactive, and much easier to understand.
When I launch Btop, I can instantly see CPU usage, memory consumption, disk activity, network usage, and running processes—all in one place. Everything updates in real time, and the interface uses colorful graphs and a clean layout, so instead of reading raw numbers, I can quickly spot patterns.
For example, if my system feels slow, I open Btop and look for spikes in CPU or memory usage. Sometimes I find a background process using too many resources; other times, it’s heavy disk activity. You can even interact with processes directly—kill them, filter by name, or sort by resource usage without leaving the terminal.
What really makes Btop stand out is its visual design. The color-coded graphs make it immediately clear what’s happening on your system. It turns what used to be a boring task into something fast, intuitive, and even enjoyable.
It’s one of those tools you might open just because it looks good—but when something actually goes wrong, it helps you diagnose the problem much faster.
You can install it on Linux Mint with.
sudo apt install btop7. Fzf
Finding files manually can take a lot of time, especially when you’re dealing with hundreds or even thousands of files. That’s where Fzf comes in.
Fzf is a fuzzy finder that lets you search through lists—like files, command history, or processes—in real time. You simply type part of what you’re looking for, and it instantly shows matching results, even if the characters aren’t in exact order. Then you can quickly select what you need using your keyboard.
It feels a lot like searching contacts on a phone—you type a few letters, and the results appear immediately.
I use Fzf for opening files quickly, searching through my command history, navigating directories, and finding configuration files. It integrates really well with tools like Vim, Git, and especially Zsh, making the whole terminal experience feel much more interactive.
The real magic happens when you connect it to your shell. For example, pressing Ctrl+R brings up a searchable view of your entire command history. Instead of scrolling through old commands one by one, you just type a few keywords and instantly find what you’re looking for. Similarly, Ctrl+T opens a fuzzy file picker for the current directory.
This completely changes how you interact with the terminal. Instead of manually browsing or remembering exact names, you can just guess parts of it and still find what you need instantly.
After using Fzf for a while, traditional file searching feels slow and outdated. It’s one of those tools that genuinely transforms your workflow.
You can install it on Linux Mint with.
sudo apt install fzf8. Bat
Linux includes the cat command for displaying file contents. It works fine, but it’s very basic. That’s where Bat comes in.
Bat is essentially an improved version of cat with features like syntax highlighting, line numbers, Git integration, and automatic paging. It takes the same simple idea and makes it much more powerful and easier to use.
When I open a file with Bat, especially source code, everything looks clean and readable. The syntax highlighting supports hundreds of languages, making keywords and structure much easier to understand. Line numbers also help when you’re debugging or referring to specific parts of a file.
For example:
bat script.shThe output is colorized and formatted, almost like viewing the file inside a code editor—but without leaving the terminal.
Another useful feature is Git integration. Bat shows markers alongside the code to indicate which lines have been added, modified, or removed since the last commit. This is really helpful when reviewing changes.
On Debian-based systems like Linux Mint, the command is actually called batcat to avoid conflicts. You can create an alias to replace cat with Bat like this:
alias cat='batcat'and add it to your .bashrc or .zshrc.
Once you get used to Bat, going back to plain cat feels like reading code without formatting. It makes working in the terminal more comfortable and visually clear.
You can install it with.
sudo apt install batIt’s a small upgrade, but it makes a big difference in your daily workflow.
9. Ncdu
I always add Ncdu because disk space management becomes easier with it. Sometimes storage fills up unexpectedly. Finding large files manually takes time. Ncdu scans directories and shows disk usage visually.
You can:
- Sort files by size
- Identify storage hogs
- Delete unnecessary files
- Reclaim disk space quickly
This tool feels like a flashlight inside your storage system. It reveals hidden clutter that slows down your machine.
Linux Mint already provides a smooth desktop experience. And using these CLI tools extend that power into the terminal.
Also dont get me wrong, if you are not a terminal lover or dont love working from the terminal then you can also do the same task graphically but using these CLI tools consistently improve my Linux Mint experience and i hope so it also help you to save your time, and make terminal work feel smooth and responsive.
If you’re setting up a fresh Linux Mint system, try installing a few of these first. Use them for a few days. Notice how your workflow changes.
