In the world of the command line, efficiency is king. We’ve already discussed tldr as a fantastic tool for quickly accessing simplified man page examples. But tldr isn’t the only cheat sheet game in town. Enter cheat.sh (or cht.sh), another powerful contender for your command-line quick-reference needs.

Both cheat.sh and tldr aim to solve the same problem: making command-line documentation more accessible and less time-consuming than traditional man pages. But they approach this goal in different ways, with distinct features and philosophies. So, which cheat sheet champion deserves a place in your terminal toolkit? Let’s dive into a head-to-head comparison.

tldr: Concise Community Examples (The Pocket Guide)

tldr is all about simplicity and community. It’s a collection of concise, community-maintained cheat sheets focused on the most common use cases for command-line tools.

Key features of tldr:

• Concise and Focused: tldr pages are intentionally short and to the point. They prioritize clarity and brevity, giving you just the essential examples you need.
• Community-Driven: The content is created and maintained by a community of contributors, ensuring a wide range of commands are covered and kept up-to-date.
• Client-Side Application: tldr is typically used via a client application installed on your system. This client fetches the cheat sheets and displays them in your terminal.
• Focus on Common Use Cases: tldr pages primarily showcase the most frequent and practical applications of commands.
• Multiple Clients: Available in various languages (Python, Node.js, Go, etc.), offering flexibility in client choice.

Pros of tldr:

• Extremely Easy to Use: Installation and usage are very simple.
• Highly Readable Output: Cleanly formatted and easy to scan in the terminal.
• Great for Beginners: Less overwhelming than man pages or more complex cheat sheets.
• Fast for Quick Lookups: Ideal when you just need a fast reminder.

Cons of tldr:

• Limited Scope: By design, tldr pages are not exhaustive. They don’t cover every option or edge case.
• Less Detail: Conciseness means less in-depth explanation. For complex commands or nuanced usage, you might still need to consult man pages.
• Internet Dependency (Initial Fetch): While tldr clients often cache pages, the initial fetch and updates require an internet connection.

How to Use tldr

1. Installation: Install the tldr client for your operating system. Common methods include:

   • Using npm (Node.js):

     1npm install -g tldr

   • Using pip (Python):

     1pip install tldr

   • Using your distribution’s package manager (e.g., pacman, apt, dnf):

     1sudo pacman -S tldr  # Arch Linux
     2sudo apt install tldr  # Debian/Ubuntu
     3sudo dnf install tldr  # Fedora/CentOS

2. Basic Usage: To get a tldr cheat sheet for a command, simply type tldr followed by the command name:

   1tldr command

   For example, to see the tldr page for tar:

   1tldr tar

3. Navigating Pages: Use your terminal’s scroll keys (usually Shift + Page Up/Down or scroll wheel) to navigate longer tldr pages.

4. Updating Pages: To update the cached tldr pages (if your client supports it):

   1tldr --update

   or check your client’s specific update command.

cheat.sh (cht.sh): The Feature-Rich, Web-Powered Encyclopedia (The Deep Dive)

cheat.sh takes a different approach. It’s more like a web-powered, feature-rich command-line encyclopedia. Instead of a client-side application with pre-packaged cheat sheets, cheat.sh is primarily accessed via curl or nc directly from your terminal, fetching information from its online service in real-time.

Key features of cheat.sh:

• Web-Based Service: cheat.sh lives online and is accessed via simple command-line tools like curl or netcat.
• Extensive Coverage: cheat.sh boasts an incredibly broad range of topics, going far beyond just basic command-line tools. It covers programming languages, configuration files, DevOps tools, databases, and much more.
• Detailed Examples: Often provides more in-depth examples and explanations compared to tldr.
• Language-Specific Cheatsheets: Excellent support for programming languages, providing code snippets and syntax examples.
• Editor Integration: Can be integrated into various text editors and IDEs for in-context help.
• Special Queries: Supports special queries like apropos, man, info, and even stackoverflow searches directly from the command line.
• Customization and Personalization: Allows for some level of customization and even creating personal cheat sheets.

Pros of cheat.sh:

• Vast Knowledge Base: Covers a much wider range of topics than tldr.
• More Detailed Information: Examples are often more comprehensive and explanatory.
• Language Support is a Major Strength: Invaluable for programmers.
• Web-Based Accessibility: Works on any system with curl or nc, no client installation needed.
• Powerful Search Capabilities: Easy to search for specific commands or topics.

Cons of cheat.sh:

• Output Can Be Noisy: The output, while informative, can sometimes be less cleanly formatted than tldr, especially in the terminal.
• Real-time Web Dependency: Requires a constant internet connection to function. No offline caching by default (though some caching mechanisms exist).
• Slightly Steeper Learning Curve (Initially): While basic usage is simple, exploring all its features takes a bit more effort.
• Less “Pocket Guide,” More “Online Encyclopedia”: Can feel less focused than tldr for simple command lookups.

How to Use cheat.sh (cht.sh)

Using cheat.sh is incredibly simple directly from your terminal, without needing to install a dedicated client:

1. Basic Usage with curl: To get cheat sheets, use curl followed by cht.sh/command. Replace command with the tool you need help with.

   • For example, to get the tar cheat sheet:

     1curl cht.sh/tar

2. Basic Usage with netcat (nc): If curl is not available, you can use netcat ( nc ):

   1nc cht.sh 80 <<<$'GET /tar HTTP/1.0\nHost: cht.sh'

3. Specifying Options or Subcommands: Append options or subcommands to the URL-like path to refine your search:

   1curl cht.sh/tar/create  # tar specific to creating archives
   2curl cht.sh/python/list comprehensions # Python list comprehensions
   3curl cht.sh/go/range # Go range keyword

4. Language-Specific Help: Prefix your query with a programming language name to get language-specific cheat sheets:

   1curl cht.sh/python tar  # Python examples related to tar
   2curl cht.sh/js array # JavaScript array methods

5. Special Queries: cheat.sh supports special queries:

   • man: for man pages:

     1curl cht.sh/man:ls  # Get the man page for `ls`

   • info: for info pages:

     1curl cht.sh/info:grep # Get the info page for `grep`

   • apropos: for searching commands by keyword:

     1curl cht.sh/apropos:disk space # Search commands related to disk space

   • stackoverflow: for Stack Overflow searches:

     1curl cht.sh/stackoverflow:bash loop through files # Search Stack Overflow for "bash loop through files"

6. Listing Available Cheat Sheets: To list all available cheat sheets (the list is very long!):

   1curl cht.sh/:list

7. Getting Help for cheat.sh itself:

   1curl cht.sh/:help

tldr vs cheat.sh: Side-by-Side Comparison

When to Use Which: Choosing Your Cheat Sheet Weapon

So, which tool should you choose? It really depends on your needs and preferences:

• Choose tldr if:

  • You want a super simple, fast, and clean cheat sheet for common command-line tools.
  • You are a beginner or just need quick reminders for basic commands.
  • You prefer a client-side application and like the idea of community-curated content.
  • You value offline access to cheat sheets (after initial download).

• Choose cheat.sh (cht.sh) if:

  • You need a vast and comprehensive cheat sheet resource covering a wide range of topics beyond just basic commands.
  • You are a developer and need cheat sheets for programming languages, frameworks, and tools.
  • You prefer a web-based, always up-to-date resource accessible from any terminal with curl or nc.
  • You want more detailed examples and explanations.
  • You want advanced features like language-specific help, editor integration, and special queries.

Personal Recommendation:

For many users, tldr is a great starting point for its simplicity and ease of use. It’s perfect for quickly looking up common command examples. As you become more advanced or need a wider range of information, cheat.sh becomes incredibly powerful, especially for developers and system administrators.

Many power users actually use both tldr and cheat.sh, leveraging tldr for quick, common lookups and cheat.sh for more in-depth information and broader topic coverage.

Ultimately, the best cheat sheet is the one that fits your workflow and helps you be more efficient at the command line. Experiment with both tldr and cheat.sh, and see which one (or both!) becomes your preferred command-line companion.