Linux is a powerful and versatile operating system, widely used for servers, development, and personal computing. For beginners, the command-line interface (CLI) can seem daunting, but mastering a few essential commands can greatly enhance your Linux experience. This blog post introduces 20 fundamental commands to get you started.
pwd displays the current directory you are in.
pwd
# Output: /home/user/documentsls lists files and directories in the current directory. Useful options include -l for detailed output, -a to show hidden files, and -h for human-readable sizes.
ls
# Output: file1.txt file2.txt directory1
ls -lacd changes the current directory. Use cd .. to go up one level.
cd documents
cd ..mkdir creates a new directory.
mkdir new_directoryrmdir removes an empty directory.
rmdir empty_directoryrm deletes files. Use -r to remove directories and their contents recursively, and -f to force removal (without prompting). Use with caution!
rm file.txt
rm -rf directorycp copies files and directories. Use -r to copy directories recursively.
cp file.txt new_file.txt
cp -r directory new_directorymv moves or renames files and directories.
mv file.txt new_location/
mv old_name.txt new_name.txtcat displays the content of a file. It can also concatenate multiple files.
cat file.txt
cat file1.txt file2.txt > combined.txtless displays file content page by page, allowing navigation within the file. Use Space to go forward, b to go back, and q to quit.
less large_file.txthead displays the first lines of a file (default: 10 lines).
head file.txt
head -n 20 file.txt # Display the first 20 linestail displays the last lines of a file (default: 10 lines). Useful with -f to follow changes in a file (e.g., log files).
tail file.txt
tail -f log_file.logtouch creates an empty file or updates the access and modification time of an existing file.
touch new_file.txtfind searches for files and directories based on various criteria (name, size, etc.).
find . -name "file.txt" # Find files named "file.txt" in the current directory and subdirectories
find /path/to/search -type d # Find all directoriesman displays the manual page for a command, providing detailed information and options.
man lsecho displays text or variables to the terminal.
echo "Hello, world!"
echo $HOME # Display the value of the HOME environment variablehistory displays a list of previously executed commands.
historyps displays information about running processes. Common options include aux for a detailed list of all processes.
ps auxtop displays a dynamic real-time view of running processes, including CPU and memory usage.
topkill sends a signal to a process. The most common signal is SIGTERM (15) to request termination. You'll need the process ID (PID), which you can get from ps or top. Use kill -9 (SIGKILL) as a last resort, as it forcefully terminates the process.
kill 1234
kill -9 5678These 20 commands provide a solid foundation for navigating and interacting with the Linux command-line. Practice using them regularly, and you'll quickly become more comfortable and efficient in your Linux environment. Remember to consult the man pages for more detailed information about each command and its options. Happy Linuxing!
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This essential commands guide connects to our comprehensive Linux mastery series!
Ready for Structured Learning? Start with our complete Linux series:
Beginner Skills (Start Here!):
This guide covers similar concepts to Parts 2-3 of our structured series. Continue with the organized curriculum for systematic learning!
- Linux Terminal Commands - Detailed command explanations
After mastering these basics, explore:
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Ready for systematic Linux mastery? Start with our structured series to build comprehensive skills step-by-step!