Basic Linux Commands: Quick Reference Guide
By executing commands, you can perform all basic and advanced functions. A Linux terminal is used for executing these commands. Terminals are like command prompts on a home computer that lets users interact with the system using commands. The case of the command is important in Linux.
This article will show you the basics of Linux commands:
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| ls | List directory contents. |
| cat | Display file’s contents to the standard output device (usually your monitor) |
| cd | Change to directory. |
| df | Display used and available disk space. |
| du | Show how much space each file takes up. |
| file | Determine what type of data is within a file. |
| kill | Stop a process. If the process refuses to stop, use kill -9 pid. |
| lpr | Send a print job. |
| man | Display the help information for the specified command. |
| mv | Rename or move file(s) or directories. |
| ps | Display a snapshot of the currently running processes. |
| pwd | Display the pathname for the current directory. |
| rm | Remove (delete) file(s) and/or directories. |
| rmdir | Delete empty directories. |
| ssh | Remotely log in to another Linux machine, over the network. Leave an ssh session by typing exit. |
| su | Switch to another user account. |
| tail | Display the last n lines of a file (the default is 10). |
| tar | Store and extract files from a tarfile (.tar) or tarball (.tar.gz or .tgz). |
| top | Displays the resources being used on your system. Press q to exit. |
| who | Display who is logged on. |
| clear | Clear a command line screen/window for a fresh start. |
| date | Display or set the system date and time. |
| cp | Copy files and directories. |
| grep | Search files or output for a particular pattern. |
| ln | Create a shortcut. |
That’s it!
Our goal in writing this article is to give you an overview of basic linux commands and we hope this article has given you a better understanding.
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