Using the Terminal for SiteBay WordPress Hosting

‘Command Line at FLOSS Manuals’ tags: [“sitebay”] authors: [“SiteBay”]

The shell, a.k.a. “command line interface” or “CLI”, is a powerhouse for interacting with your SiteBay WordPress hosting environment. It’s your go-to for managing files, running scripts, and performing tasks that keep your site humming. You might already be familiar with the terminal from Linux or Mac’s Terminal.app.

This overview will walk you through the terminal basics, offering tips to make your command line journey smooth and beneficial. When you hop onto a terminal, you’re met with a prompt, signaling you’re ready to start. This guide will break down command structures, file system navigation, and more.

Command Structure Basics

Commands typically start with the action (verb), followed by options (adjectives) that tweak the command’s behavior, and targets (objects) the action is applied to. Need help? Slap a –help flag next to a command for usage info.

Navigating Files and Directories

The shell is your ticket to cruising through your site’s files and folders:

Listing Directories

ls shows you what’s in a directory. Use ls /etc/init.d/ to peek into /etc/init.d/. Add -a to see all files, including hidden ones, and -lha for detailed listings in human-readable form.

Changing Directories

cd switches your current directory. Jump into /etc/ with cd /etc/. Use .. to go up a level or . to reference the current directory in commands.

Making and Removing Directories

mkdir crafts a new folder. mkdir ~/website/ makes a website folder under your home directory. Use rmdir to delete an empty directory.

Handling Files

Create files without content using touch, and delete with rm. Be careful with rm, as it’s irreversible. Use rm -r to remove non-empty directories.

Copying and Moving

cp duplicates files, and mv renames or moves them. Remember, mv is like cp but for moving stuff around.

Text Editors and Stream Management

SiteBay recommends using the code-server editor for quick file edits. It’s straightforward and includes basic commands right in the terminal window.

Direct streams with pipes (|) and redirect output with > to save command outputs to files. Use » to append to an existing file without overwriting.

System Monitoring

Keep an eye on your WordPress hosting with commands like ps for process IDs, top for real-time resource usage, and df for disk space details. du helps identify which directories are hogging space.

Terminal Tricks and Tips

Make the most of the terminal with tab completion, screen sessions for multitasking, and command history for quick recall. bash also supports emacs-like keybindings for efficient text navigation.

Conclusion: The terminal is a robust tool for managing your SiteBay WordPress hosting. Start with these basics, and you’ll find yourself more confident in handling your hosting environment directly from the command line. For more advanced topics and system monitoring, explore SiteBay’s comprehensive guides.