GhostBSD

This page is a growing collection of commands and concepts I’ve found useful while managing GhostBSD. While many tasks are possible through the GUI, I prefer the terminal for its speed and control.

This Lexicon is meant as a starting point, a personal cheat sheet I’ve built over time. If you’re curious about deeper usage, scripting tricks, or advanced flags, I recommend exploring further with your preferred AI assistant or search tool. There’s always more to learn, and the terminal rewards curiosity.

cat
Displays the contents of a file in the terminal.
cat filename.txt

clear
Clears the terminal screen.
clear

cp
Copies files or directories. With sudo, you can copy into system-protected locations that Thunar can’t reach.
sudo cp MyFont.ttf /usr/local/share/fonts/TTF/
sudo cp -r Kora* /usr/local/share/icons
Use -r to copy folders recursively.
See also: mv and rm

gpg
Encrypts sensitive files like passwords.
To encrypt, use:
gpg -c important.txt
To decrypt, use:
gpg important.txt.gpg

grep
Searches for text patterns inside files or command output.
grep "sshd" /etc/rc.conf
sysrc -a | grep sound
Great for finding specific settings or keywords.

hostname
GhostBSD sets a default hostname, but you can change it:
sudo nano /etc/rc.conf
Find the line:
hostname="differentname"
…and update it.

ifconfig
Displays network info. I mostly use it to check my IP address.

less
Lets you scroll through long files one page at a time.
less /var/log/messages

ls
Lists the contents of a directory.
Use ls -l for detailed info and ls -a to show hidden files.

mv
Moves files or folders. Like cp, it can move into protected areas with sudo.
sudo mv Kora* /usr/local/share/icons
See also: cp and rm

Nano
A minimal terminal-based text editor. Great for quick edits to config files like rc.conf. Easy to use, even for beginners.

pkg
GhostBSD’s package manager. I use it to install, update, and search for software.
sudo pkg update
sudo pkg install nano
pkg search simplescreenrecorder
I often use Software Manager to find package names, but prefer installing via terminal as it shows dependencies and download size.

pkg info
Shows details about installed packages.
pkg info nano

rc.conf
I often use Software Manager to find package names, but prefer installing via terminal as it shows dependencies and download size.
sshd_enable="YES"
Be careful! Typos or misplaced quotes can break things.

rm
Deletes files or folders permanently. Use with caution as there’s no undo.
rm unwanted.tar.gz
sudo rm -r /usr/local/share/icons/Kora*
Use -r to delete directories recursively.
See also: cp and mv

rsync
The rsync command is used to quickly copy and synchronize files and folders, either on the same computer or between different computers.
rsync -a file.txt /path/to/destination/
If you back up files, the rsync is a must-know command.

SHA256
A cryptographic hash used to verify file integrity.
sha256 filename.iso
See also: checksum

shutdown
To power off a remote machine via SSH:
sudo shutdown -h now
The -h flag halts the system immediately.

smartmontools
See this tutorial on how to install and use.

sysrc
A safer way to edit rc.conf from the terminal.
sudo sysrc sshd_enable="YES"
sysrc -a | grep sshd
It ensures correct syntax and is great for scripting or quick tweaks.

touch
The touch command is very powerful, but I mostly use it to quickly create a new empty file. Then, I usually edit it with Mousepad, Nano, or Geany.
touch readme.txt

uname
Displays system info like OS name and kernel version.
uname -a
uname -s

xkill
Force-quits a frozen graphical app.
Ctrl + Alt + Esc
Then, click on the window I want to terminate.

ZSH
ZSH (Z Shell) is a powerful, customizable Unix shell often used as a modern alternative to Bash, especially popular among developers for its advanced features and themes like Powerlevel10k.