The clear command is used to clear the terminal display. It is a simple utility that clears the screen of the terminal, removing all previously displayed output and leaving a blank screen. This can be useful when the terminal screen becomes cluttered with too much text and you want to start with a clean slate.

The clear command is typically used in command-line interfaces (CLI) on Unix-like operating systems, including Linux. It is often used in shell scripts or as part of command sequences to clear the screen before displaying new output.

Official page of clear (Clear the terminal display): https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/clear.1.html

Programming Languages

The clear command is not a standalone program or package. It is a built-in command in most Unix-like operating systems, including Linux. Therefore, it is not written in any specific programming language.

Installation

The clear command does not require any installation as it is already available on most Unix-like operating systems, including Linux. It is part of the core utilities package, which is typically pre-installed on these systems.

Supported Operating Systems

The clear command is supported on the following operating systems:

• Linux
• Unix
• macOS
• BSD

Command Examples

Here are some examples of how to use the clear command:

• clear: This command clears the terminal screen and leaves a blank screen.
• clear -x: This command clears the terminal screen and also clears the scrollback buffer, removing all previously displayed output.

Similar Commands

There are several other commands that serve a similar purpose to the clear command:

• tput clear: This command uses the tput utility to clear the terminal screen. It provides more flexibility and control over the terminal display.
• reset: This command resets the terminal to its default state, including clearing the screen and resetting any terminal settings that may have been modified.
• Ctrl+L: This keyboard shortcut can be used to clear the terminal screen. It is a built-in shortcut in many terminal emulators.

Script Examples

Here are three examples of scripts that use the clear command for automation:

Script 1: clear_screen.sh

#!/bin/bash

# This script clears the terminal screen and displays a message

clear
echo "Welcome to the Clear Screen Script!"

Script 2: clear_logs.sh

#!/bin/bash

# This script clears the terminal screen and deletes log files

clear
echo "Clearing log files..."
rm -rf /var/log/*.log
echo "Log files cleared!"

Script 3: clear_and_run.sh

#!/bin/bash

# This script clears the terminal screen, compiles a C program, and runs it

clear
echo "Compiling program..."
gcc program.c -o program
echo "Program compiled!"
echo "Running program..."
./program
echo "Program finished!"

List of Functions and Constants

Function/Constant	Description
clear	Clears the terminal screen
tput clear	Clears the terminal screen using tput
reset	Resets the terminal to its default state
Ctrl+L	Keyboard shortcut to clear the terminal screen

Conclusion

The clear command is a simple utility that clears the terminal screen. It is commonly used in command-line interfaces on Unix-like operating systems, including Linux. The command is used to remove previously displayed output and start with a clean slate. It is often used in shell scripts or as part of command sequences to clear the screen before displaying new output.

The clear command is widely used by system administrators, developers, and anyone working with the command line on a regular basis. It helps in keeping the terminal screen organized and makes it easier to read and understand the output. Whether it’s clearing the screen before running a new command or automating tasks with scripts, the clear command is a handy tool in the Linux ecosystem.

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