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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