Written 31 Aug 2026. This is a how-to, not a product card.

See what time the computer thinks it is

After SSH works, print the clock with date. You don't need extra software for this.

See how long a command took timed one command. Tonight you ask for the clock: date. Date prints what time the computer thinks it is. You are still only practicing in home on the computer. It does not need extra system software, htop, Grafana, or a NAS for this one job.

Skip until SSH already works

SSH from the couch should already get you a prompt. If a month grid is what you want, that is see the month on a calendar. If the clock zone is what you want to set, that is set the clock to your house. If how long a command took is what you want, that is see how long a command took.

What this is

date prints the clock. You type date. One line comes back. date -u prints UTC. A format string like +%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S is optional. It is not timezone. Timezone sets the clock zone. It is not cal. Cal prints a month grid. Tonight you take a look, not a set.

Practice date in home

SSH in. Make sure home is where you sit:

pwd

You want a path that ends in your login name. If not:

cd ~

Ask what time the computer thinks it is:

date

You want one clock line, then the prompt back. That is enough for tonight. Practice only in home.

Debian and Ubuntu usually already have date. Don't make apt the job. If date is missing:

sudo apt install coreutils

Then stop. That install is not the lesson.

Useful extras, still home only

Optional: UTC:

date -u

Optional: a format string:

date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S'

Don't make those required. Skip setting the clock tonight. That is set the clock to your house.

What this is not

This is not cal. That is see the month on a calendar. It is not timezone. That is set the clock to your house. It is not time. That is see how long a command took. It is not timeout. That is stop a command after a few seconds. It is not watch. That is see change without typing again. It is not opening SSH to the internet. That is keep the computer on the house network. Don't forward port 22.

What next

Need a month grid? See the month on a calendar. Need how long a command took? See how long a command took. Need the clock zone set? Set the clock to your house. Keep SSH on the house network: keep the computer on the house network. Don't forward port 22. Year or HTTPS wrong? When the computer's clock is wrong.

Skip

Skip if SSH still fails. Finish SSH from the couch first.
Skip setting the clock tonight. Tonight you take a look.
Skip cal, timezone, time, timeout, and watch as tonight's job. Those pages already exist.
Skip files under /etc, SSH folders, or paths you don't own. Practice only in home.
Skip rm -rf. Careful delete only: delete a file carefully.
Skip opening SSH to the internet so you can do this from a coffee shop. That is keep the computer on the house network. Don't forward port 22.

Sources

Debian: date(1). Ubuntu: date(1). Official pages only. For the login, see SSH from the couch. For a month grid, see see the month on a calendar.

Also on this topic

SSH from the couchType commands on the computer from your laptop, on the house network. Password login first. Don't open this to the internet. See the month on a calendarAfter date, print this month as a grid with cal. You don't need extra software for this. See how long a command tookAfter timeout, see how long a command took with time. You don't need extra software for this. Stop a command after a few secondsAfter SSH works, stop a command after a few seconds with timeout so you don't wait forever. You don't need extra software for this. See change without typing againAfter SSH works, re-run a command with watch so you see change without typing again. You don't need a monitoring app for this. Set the clock to your houseAfter SSH works, set the clock to your house. You don't need extra software for this. See how long the computer has been awakeAfter SSH works, see how long the computer has been awake. You don't need extra software for this. Don't let the old laptop sleepClose the lid. The old laptop has to stay awake so SSH and Pi-hole keep working. A desktop can skip this note. See what already runs on a scheduleAfter SSH works, see what already runs on a schedule. You don't need extra software for this. See file size, date, and permissionsAfter SSH works, see file size, date, and permissions with stat. You don't need extra software for this. Delete a file carefullyAfter SSH works, delete one file with rm -i. Ask first. Skip rm -rf. You don't need a NAS for this. Turn off password login once the key worksAfter the laptop key login is boring, tell SSH to stop accepting the password. The key is how you get in. A keyboard on the computer is the backup now. Keep the computer on the house networkSSH and Pi-hole belong on the house network. Skip this if you never opened the router settings. Don't forward port 22.