▸ CmdGuide
index / developer tooling / orientation

Setup documentation, curated into a reading order.

Every tool has a manual; almost none tell you what to read first. This index arranges the official documentation of common developer tools into the order that makes each piece make sense.

macOS Linux Windows terminal 2026 edition

The core index

Eight entry points, each naming the official source so you can verify everything against the primary text.

Version control

Git

Read the object model before the commands: blobs, trees, commits. Everything else follows from those three nouns.

source: git-scm.com/doc
Containers

Docker

Separate image from container early. The docs’ own “concept → workflow” split is the cleanest honest path.

source: docs.docker.com
Runtimes

Node.js & npm

Treat package.json as a manifest, not a settings file. The registry docs clarify resolution rules most tutorials skip.

source: nodejs.org/docs
Runtimes

Python & pip

Virtual environments first, always. The official tutorial’s section on venv repays three careful readings.

source: docs.python.org
Orchestration

kubectl

Learn the object model (pods, deployments, services) before imperative verbs; kubectl reads like grammar afterwards.

source: kubernetes.io/docs
Networking

curl

One tool, two hundred flags, four you need daily. The man page’s examples section is the real quick-start.

source: everything.curl.dev
Remote access

OpenSSH

Two files decide your experience: ssh_config and authorized_keys. Both are shorter than most blog posts about them.

source: man.openbsd.org/ssh
File transfer

rsync

The dry-run flag is the tutorial. Run it before every real invocation until the habit is permanent.

source: rsync.samba.org/doc
Reading rule: this index describes and points; it never distributes. All acquisition happens at the official project pages linked from each card.

Suggested sequence

Pick one tool, not five. Spreading attention across a toolchain at once is the documented way to retain none of it.
Skim the card, then open the official doc. Use our summary to orient; use the manual to confirm. Never the reverse order.
Type the first example by hand. Muscle memory starts faster than note-taking; notes catch up later.
Return in a week. A second pass a week later outperforms one long session — spacing is the cheapest upgrade there is.

Frequently asked

Is CmdGuide affiliated with any of these projects?

No. It is an independent index. Names belong to their projects; descriptions link to those projects’ own documentation as the authority.

Do you host files or packages of any kind?

No binaries are hosted on this domain. Each card names the official source; that is the only distribution channel we reference.

Why not cover GUI alternatives?

Scope. The terminal is the common denominator across macOS, Linux, and Windows; it is where documentation stays honest longest.

How do you keep entries current?

Entries describe stable concepts and link to living documentation. When a project reorganises its docs, we update the pointer — the concept pages rarely need to change.