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This slide presentation was created by B6Plus. The audio accompanying this presentation is AI-generated.

Today we're going to explore how to find and use documentation effectively. We’ll start with an introduction, then dig into manpages and put theory into practice. After that we'll look at the /usr/share/doc/ directory, review release notes and changelogs, and finish with a summary, resources, and a graded lab.

By the end of this module, you’ll be able to: use manual pages to find command options; describe their layout; use man -k; navigate /usr/share/doc/; and explain the purpose of release notes and changelogs.

As administrators, we encounter many commands we can’t memorize. Fortunately Red Hat Enterprise Linux gives us built-in documentation via manpages and online resources like the Red Hat Customer Portal.

Nearly every command has a man page—for example, mkdir. The man page shows you the command’s syntax, description, options like -p, and usage examples. It’s an essential reference tool.

Manpages are grouped by section: 1 is user commands, 5 is configuration files, 8 is admin utilities. Today we’ll focus on these sections, as they are most relevant to system administration.

Most manpages include sections like NAME, SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION, OPTIONS, EXAMPLES, FILES, and SEE ALSO. The ‘Synopsis’ quickly shows usage, while the ‘Description’ gives details.

Manpages are viewed with a pager, usually less. You can scroll with space or f, go back with b, search with /term, and use n to find next matches. Quit with q.

To search manpages by keyword, use man -k passwd. That lists results such as passwd(1) or passwd(5), helping you find the right documentation.

The /usr/share/doc/ directory includes documentation per package—configuration examples, templates, and changelogs. For instance, nano has sample.nanorc you can copy and customize.

The /usr/share/doc/ directory includes documentation per package—configuration examples, templates, and changelogs. For instance, nano has sample.nanorc you can copy and customize.

Now let's do an exercise: open a manpage of your chosen command, search for an option or a config file pointer, and share what you find.

Each Red Hat Enterprise Linux release comes with release notes that detail new features, removed programs, and more. It’s important to read them before installing or upgrading.

Changelogs accompany software packages, listing bug fixes and feature changes. These can be found under /usr/share/doc/ or within the package documentation.

To summarize: use man for documentation, know section numbers, use man -k to search, search inside manpages, read release notes, update indexes with mandb, and review changelogs.

Here are some helpful resources: man7.org for manpages and tutorials, YouTube video for quick learning, Red Hat Enterprise Linux Product Documentation, and Keep a Changelog guide.

For this module, you’ll complete two quizzes instead of a full lab. There's extra credit available if you want more practice.

Thank you for your attention and participation. If you have questions, please ask now or follow up via the course platform. See you in the next module!