Using Resources in Linux: 8 Essential Tricks 🖥️

Linux is great for using your computer efficiently, but sometimes you may find yourself with a slower or older machine. How can you make Linux run better with lower performance? 🖥️💡

1 Use a Lightweight Desktop Environment

Xfce desktop showing htop running in the terminal.

One way to keep resource usage low on Linux is to choose a lightweight desktop environment instead of KDE or GNOME. They're great desktops, but they're designed to run on newer, faster machines with more memory and disk space.

My preferred option is XfceOther good options are LXQt and Enlightenment. You could also consider using a regular window manager like Openbox or Fluxbox. These are better suited for experienced users who are quite familiar with the command line. 🛠️✨

2 Use the Command Line

Listing directories in the terminal with the ls command.

Using the command line alone is a good way to reduce the load on your machine. Command-line programs, even interactive ones, run in the terminal and use fewer resources compared to a graphical program that might have images, videos, or sound. 💻✨

Lower resource usage is one reason why many users Linux users with experience use the command line as much as they can.

It's even possible to use the command line to completely dispense with a desktop. Many servers are designed to run "headless" without a monitor or keyboard. You can disable the display manager and launch X or Wayland from the command line if you'd like, but this is an extreme option. ⚠️

3 Use Lightweight Programs

Abiword word processor on Linux displaying the text, "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog."

In addition to a desktop environment lightweight, you can also use lightweight programs. For example, you could use AbiWord for word processing and Gnumeric for spreadsheets instead of LibreOffice. Or maybe you could opt for Viper instead of Chrome or Firefox to browse the web. 🌍📊

4 Deactivate Services You Don't Need

List systemd units in the Linux terminal using the systemctl command.

Linux systems run many daemons, or background processes, to handle various maintenance tasks. Many of them are necessary, but some can slow down your system. You may be able to disable some of them using the systemctl command on a distribution that uses systemd.

If you're testing a web server for an application you're developing, you probably don't need to have it running all the time. You can enable and disable it as needed. ⚙️

It's a good idea to leave the processes installed on your system by default unmodified, especially if you don't know what they do. At the very least, you should read the man page so you don't disable something important. Reading the documentation for running processes is a Linux lesson in itself. 📚

5 Monitor Services

You can manage resource usage in Linux by keeping track of the processes on your machine. You can use the top or htop commands to view processes in real time. You can also sort by memory or CPU usage to see which processes are running. consuming more resources. 📊

With this information, you can try using a different program or disabling services as mentioned above. You should have an idea of what you're doing before disabling anything. 🔍

6 Check the Records

Journalctl screen showing system logs in Linux terminal.

You should also periodically monitor your logs for anything that shouldn't be there. This can detect errors, but sometimes the logs themselves can be the problem. Once, I noticed I was running out of disk space. I discovered the logs were growing faster than the system could automatically rotate them due to a bug. I uninstalled a process that was causing the errors and deleted the problematic logs. 📉🚫

You can review the logs using the journalctl command on most modern distributions that use systemd.

A useful option is -f which displays new entries in the logs in real time:

journalctl -f

7 Consider a Minimalist Distro

Screenshot from the official Ubuntu website.

Yeah You are looking for a Linux system with desktops and applications lightweight, you can find them! Some good Ubuntu-based versions are Xubuntu and LubuntuYou'll have the advantage of a leaner environment from the start. Try installing them on older machines you might have lying around. This way, you can give them a new lease of life and avoid e-waste. 🌱♻️

8 Only Install the Programs You Need

An obvious way to save resources on your system Linux is just install what you really need when you need it. This can be easier said than done, as many programs will install many dependencies. Still, it's a testament to the Unix philosophy, with programs built from smaller components.

If you only use your Linux system for email or web browsing, you probably won't need it. install programming tools like a C compiler. If you're only doing word processing, you wouldn't need to install a video player. You can remove those programs if they come preinstalled. 🗑️✂️