http://www.commandlinefu.com/commands/browse/sort-by-votes To tar from one dir to another: $tar cf - . | (cd /dir; tar xvf -) To pull from a remote host to local ssh server 'tar zcvf - /dir' | tar zxvf - To push from local to remote tar zcvf - /dir | ssh dawg@remotehost 'cd /dir; tar zxvf -" export PATH=$PATH:/usr/java/java/bin setting your path! export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:/usr/local/lib sudo !! # to redo a command you forgot to start with sudo cp file{,.bak} copies the file into a file.bak very cool :w !sudo tee % # to save from vi or vim when you forgot to start with sudo cd - # change to the previous dir like cd .. ^foo^bar #change foo to bar in last command ssh-copy-id user@host # copy passwordless keys to host first run ssh-keygen > file.txt #empty a file not delete empty.COMMAND # KEEPS COMMAND OUT OF HISTORY ssh user@host cat /path/to/remotefile | diff //path/to/localfile - # diffs file from other host. time read # does a realtime user and sys time ctrl D to stop (cd /tmp && ls) #jump to a dir run command and come back telnet towel.blinkenlights.nl #plays text start wars. really cool ping -i 60 -a IP_ADDRESS # sounds alarm when come online echo "!!" > foo.sh # creates a script of your last executed command ^Z $bg $disown # put process in backgrownd and disown it to log out. mv filename.{old.new} #renames the appended part of the file ssh host -l user $(