ifconfig and ip addr in Linux CLI - Step-by-Step Execution

Concept Flow - ifconfig and ip addr

Start

↓

Run ifconfig

↓

Display network interfaces and details

↓

Run ip addr

↓

Display network interfaces with IP info

↓

Compare outputs

↓

End

The flow shows running 'ifconfig' and 'ip addr' commands to display network interface details and IP addresses, then comparing their outputs.

Execution Sample

Linux CLI

ifconfig
ip addr

Runs 'ifconfig' and 'ip addr' commands to show network interfaces and their IP addresses.

Execution Table

Step	Command	Action	Output Summary
1	ifconfig	Runs ifconfig to list interfaces	Shows interfaces with IP, MAC, RX/TX stats
2	ip addr	Runs ip addr to list interfaces	Shows interfaces with IP addresses and states
3	Compare	Look at differences	ip addr shows more detailed info and modern format
4	Exit	Commands finished	No more output

💡 Both commands finish after displaying network interface information.

Variable Tracker

Variable	Start	After ifconfig	After ip addr	Final
interfaces_list	empty	list of interfaces with IP and MAC	list of interfaces with IP, MAC, state	final detailed interface info

Key Moments - 2 Insights

Why does 'ip addr' show more details than 'ifconfig'?

'ip addr' is a newer tool that shows more info like interface state and supports modern Linux networking features, as seen in execution_table step 2.

Are 'ifconfig' and 'ip addr' interchangeable?

'ifconfig' is older and may not be installed by default; 'ip addr' is recommended for modern systems, shown by their different outputs in execution_table steps 1 and 2.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution table, what does the 'ifconfig' command output mainly show?

A Network interfaces with IP, MAC, and RX/TX stats

B Only IP addresses

C Routing table

D Firewall rules

💡 Hint

See execution_table row 1 under Output Summary

At which step does the output show interface states like UP or DOWN?

A Step 1

B Step 3

C Step 2

D Step 4

💡 Hint

Check execution_table row 2 Action and Output Summary

If 'ifconfig' is not installed, which command should you use to see IP addresses?

A ping

B ip addr

C netstat

D traceroute

💡 Hint

Refer to key_moments about modern tool recommendation

Concept Snapshot

ifconfig and ip addr show network interfaces.
ifconfig is older, shows IP, MAC, RX/TX stats.
ip addr is newer, shows IP, MAC, interface state.
Use ip addr on modern Linux systems.
Both commands display interface info but differ in detail.

Full Transcript

This lesson shows how to use 'ifconfig' and 'ip addr' commands in Linux to view network interfaces and their IP addresses. First, running 'ifconfig' lists interfaces with IP addresses, MAC addresses, and data statistics. Then, running 'ip addr' shows interfaces with IP addresses and their states like UP or DOWN. 'ip addr' is a newer tool with more detailed output and is recommended on modern systems. The execution table traces these steps and outputs. Key moments clarify why 'ip addr' shows more info and when to use each command. The visual quiz tests understanding of command outputs and usage. The concept snapshot summarizes the main points for quick reference.