Linux › Module 6 › Lesson 3
man, --help & Tab Completion
Learn any command faster with man, --help, and tab completion
Opening
You will never memorize every flag
Thousands of Linux commands exist. Pros do not memorize them all—they read the manual. man, --help, and tab completion are how you teach yourself on the fly.
1. man — The Manual
man ls man grep man ssh Navigate: Space scrolls, /pattern searches, q quits. man 5 passwd explains the passwd file format (section 5 = files).
2. --help — Quick Summary
grep --help nmap -h Most GNU tools print common options instantly—great when man feels too long.
3. Tab Completion
Type first letters and press Tab: cd /et<Tab> → /etc/ grep au<Tab> → may complete filenames Double Tab lists possibilities when ambiguous.
apropos
apropos password — lists man pages mentioning "password". Useful when you know what you want but not the command name.
Knowledge Check
man ssh opens:
Multiple choice
Knowledge Check
Tab completion helps you:
Multiple choice
Knowledge Check
To exit man, press:
Multiple choice