Comprehensive Guide to Essential Linux Commands
Essential Linux Commands: A Practical Guide
Linux's power lies in its command-line interface (CLI), making it a favorite among developers and system administrators. This guide covers the fundamental commands you'll need for effective system management.
Basic Navigation
pwd # Print working directory
cd # Change directory
cd .. # Move up one level
cd ~ # Go to home directory
File and Directory Operations
Listing and Creating
ls # List files and directories
ls -lah # Detailed list (long format, all files, human-readable sizes)
touch # Create empty file
mkdir # Create directory
mkdir -p # Create nested directories
Manipulating Files
cp file1 file2 # Copy files
cp -r dir1 dir2 # Copy directories recursively
mv old new # Move or rename
rm file # Delete file
rm -r dir # Delete directory recursively
File Permissions
chmod 755 file # Set permissions (rwxr-xr-x)
chmod u+x file # Add execute permission for user
chown user:group file # Change ownership
Text File Operations
Viewing Content
cat file # Display entire file
less file # Page through file
head -n 10 file # Show first 10 lines
tail -n 10 file # Show last 10 lines
Text Editing
-
nano: Beginner-friendly editor -
vim: Advanced editor with powerful features -
grep "term" file: Search within files -
grep -i "term" file: Case-insensitive search
Process Management
ps aux # List all processes
top # Real-time process monitor
kill PID # Terminate process by ID
killall name # Terminate process by name
Network Operations
ip addr # Show network interfaces
ping host # Test connectivity
netstat -tuln # Show network connections
ss # Modern alternative to netstat
System Information
df -h # Disk space usage
du -h # Directory space usage
uname -a # System information
uptime # System uptime and load
Pro Tips
- Use Tab completion to avoid typing full paths
- Access command history with up/down arrows
- Chain commands with
&&(AND) or||(OR) - Use
mancommand for detailed documentation - Combine commands with pipes (
|) for powerful operations
Remember: Linux commands are case-sensitive, and most can be modified with flags (options) that start with - or --. When in doubt, use --help or man to learn more about any command.
Top comments (1)
Nice. Weldon brother