Introduction to Linux Terminal Commands

  1. cat [Concatenate] Manpage
    # cat example
    sudo cat /var/log/boot.log

    concatenate files and print on the standard output

  2. cd [Change Directory] Manpage
    # cd examples
    cd /var/log
    ls
    cd ~
    ls

    change the working directory

  3. cp [Copy] Manpage
    # cp example
    cp ./Downloads ./Downloads-bkup -r
    ls

    copy files and directories

  4. du [Disk Usage] Manpage
    # du examples
    du -h
    du -sh

    estimate file space usage

  5. find Manpage
    # find example
    find *.log

    search for files in a directory hierarchy

  6. ls [List] Manpage
    # ls example
    ls /var/log

    List directory contents

  7. mkdir [Make Directory] Manpage
    # mkdir example
    mkdir ./directory_from_terminal
    ls

    make directories

  8. mv [Move] Manpage
    # mv example
    mv ./directory_from_terminal ./directory_moved
    ls

    move (rename) files

  9. pwd [Print Working Directory] Manpage
    # pwd example
    pwd

    print name of current/working directory

  10. rm [Remove] Manpage
    # rm example
    rm ./directory_moved -r
    ls

    remove files or directories

  11. top Manpage
    # top example
    top

    display Linux processes

  12. touch Manpage
    # touch example
    touch ./empty_file_from_touch.txt
    ls

    change file timestamps

  13. uname [Unix Name] Manpage
    # uname example
    uname -a

    print system information

  14. watch Manpage
    # watch example
    watch -n 3 --exec date

    execute a program periodically, showing output fullscreen

  15. wget Manpage
    # wget example
    wget https://github.githubassets.com/images/modules/logos_page/GitHub-Mark.png

    non-interactive network downloader

  16. whoami [Who Am I] Manpage
    # whoami example
    whoami

    print effective userid