Whys and Hows of Using the Command Line for SEO

Command Line
Fix Joseph Posted on 5:45 am

Whys and Hows of Using the Command Line for SEO

A command-line interface is a text-based UI you can use for a multitude of tasks. So, why is SEO in the title?

Coding of any kind can benefit you as a professional. As you master the basics, you will be able to access files and give commands much faster. And speed is often a priority for businesses.

It’s logical. The faster you optimize a project, the sooner it will show results.

Today, we’re talking about using the command line for SEO.

How the Command Line Helps SEO

The command line is the ancestor of the graphical user interface. By utilizing it now, you can positively impact your SEO career.

When you use CLI (command-line interface), you can:

  • Search for certain parts of a large report
  • Access files
  • Split data into smaller pieces that are more convenient 
  • Verify status codes, and more.

You can do all of this manually, so why learn a new skill?

Graphics take time to load, and you need time to find the needed function and click on it. Processes go so much faster when you navigate through CLI. The underlying code is always faster to manipulate.

Besides, if the site resides on a remote server, CLI is the only way to navigate and work with it. When it comes to scripts, it is pretty much the same story.

Of course, there is a quick and easy solution like the technical website audit program by SE Ranking that will check the status codes of all website pages automatically. It can check the status codes of all pages, images, and other elements and get a report with other technical issues and recommendations in a few minutes. Sure, there are tools for other functions as well. However, learning to ‘talk’ to the code of your device will speed up the other process, which enables you to work on the status codes as a bonus.

Commands an SEO Specialist Should Know & How to Use Them

First of all, you need to know how to access the command line. The starting point depends on the operating system you use:

  • If it’s Windows, you can search ‘cmd’ in the navigation
  • If it’s Mac, you can find the command line in the ‘Utilities’ section of the ‘Applications’ menu

Keep in mind that the commands differ between Mac, Linux, and Windows since the former two are UNIX-based. They are also more sophisticated in terms of command lines, so we’ll talk mostly about them.

Tip: If you’re working with Windows, use a Subsystem for Linux, and you’ll be able to access the interface.

Here are some commands an SEO specialist should know when working with CLI:

  • For navigation.
    First of all, you can easily find your working directory by using the pwd (print working directory) command. It’s best to create a home directory (it will be highlighted with a tilde ~) and place all the files and other folders in it.

    The cd command means ‘change directory’. It will bring you where you have to be. If you need to go deeper and access another folder within the one you change to, just write a clear path to it – cd directory_name/subdirectory_name. You can easily come back to the home directory by using the cd command with a hyphen – or a tilde ~,

    You can also list files here using the ls command.

    For the type of file, use the file commander.
  • For making and editing.
    To create a directory, use mkdir name_directory. You can make one directory or multiple ones, as well as parent and child directories, just use either comas , or slashes /.

    To move a file or a folder, use the mv command and the name of the object.

    To remove, use rm and the name.

    To create an empty file, use touch and the name.

    To copy an object, use cp, the old name, and the new name. To copy a file to another folder, instead of the new name insert the name of the directory.
  • For manipulation.
    For large files that take an eternity to load using the graphic UI, CLI is a true savior.
    To see the beginning or the end of the file, use the head or tail commands with the name of the file. You’ll see the first or last 10 rows, but you can change the number by adding -n and a number.
    To print the file, use cat (concatenate) and the name of the file.

    To combine several files into one – cat file names > combined file name. If you need to combine two files but not create another one, use cat file1 >> file2. For example, if you research links, you’ll have several exported files you can combine.

    For word count – wc -w and the name of the file. For character count – wc -m and file name.

    To look for certain characters in the file, use the grep command – grep “word(s)” file_name.

    And if you need to utilize several commands at once, use the pipe symbol | in-between them.
  • For accessing the Web.
    The most important command here is curl. It allows you to transfer or download information to or from the server. It’s perfect for checking status codes and other tasks.

Tasks an SEO Specialist Can Do Using the Command Line

Using the commands above, and more sophisticated ones, you can firstly navigate directories. It’s easy and quick to find yourself in the folder of your choice. Then, you will be able to create directories and files, move and remove them, copy, cut, paste, find the exact word or number you’re looking for, and much more.

Furthermore, you can access the Net and ‘speak’ directly to the server of the client’s website.

As a result, you can perform many complex SEO tasks by simply talking to your device. In combination with dedicated SEO tools like SE Ranking, you’ll quickly get in-depth information about the performance of the website, backlinks, competitors, etc.

Summary

The command line can be your best friend in all things SEO. Learn the most basic commands first and then transition to using code more rather than graphics. This allows for speed and accuracy, making you a much better professional.