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Some linux commands (1)

The document provides an overview of commonly used Linux commands, their format, and examples of usage. It also includes keyboard shortcuts for efficient command-line navigation and operations. Key commands discussed include cp for copying files, ls for listing directory contents, mv for moving/renaming files, and mkdir for creating directories.

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3 views5 pages

Some linux commands (1)

The document provides an overview of commonly used Linux commands, their format, and examples of usage. It also includes keyboard shortcuts for efficient command-line navigation and operations. Key commands discussed include cp for copying files, ls for listing directory contents, mv for moving/renaming files, and mkdir for creating directories.

Uploaded by

only.creative.minds13
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
Download as pdf or txt
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Some commonly used Linux commands:-

Commands
Commands are just programs elsewhere on the computer and entering their name
on the command-line runs them.
Commands have a predicable format:
command -flags target
 The command is the name of the program to run,
 the (optional) flags modify its behaviour and
 the target is what the command is to operate on, ie name of a file or
directory
Keyboard short-cuts:
Keyboard short-cuts are defined for most common operations.
A few of these are listed below.
The most useful is the tab key to complete command names and paths in the file-
system, referred to a 'tab-completion'. Pressing tab once will complete a path up to
the first ambiguity encountered and pressing again gives a list of possible
completions (you can type the next letter or so of the one you want and press tab
again to attempt further auto-completion).
Control-a Move to beginning of line
Control-e Move to end of line
Alt-f Move forward one word
Alt-b Move backwards one word
Control-l Clear screen, leaving current line
Tab Try to automatically complete path

cp Command
CoPy file – copy a file from place to another
Examples:
• cp file1 file2 # copy file1 to file2
• cp file1 directory/ # copy file1 into directory.
The copy of the file has path directory/file1
• cp file1 file2 directory/ # copy file1 and file2 to directory.
When copying multiple files, the destination must be a path to a directory.
ls command
LiSt contents of directory
Examples:
• ls # List files
• ls -a # Also show hidden files (those whose name begins with a
period).
• ls -l # Show more information about each file (permissions, owner,
group, time and date of last modification).

mv Command
MoVe file – move (rename) a file. Usage is exactly like cp except that the file is
moved rather than copied.
Examples:
• mv file1 file2 # Rename file1 to file2
• mv file1 directory/ # Move file to directory
• mv file1 file2 directory/ # Move files to directory

mkdir command
MaKe DIRectory – create a new directory
Examples:
• mkdir path # Make directory described by path
• mkdir -p directory1/directory2 # Make the directory described and all directories
leading to it (its Parents) if necessary.
Command Description
Lists all files and directories in the present
ls
working directory
ls - R Lists files in sub-directories as well
ls - a Lists hidden files as well
Lists files and directories with detailed
ls - al
information like permissions, size, owner, etc.
cat > filename Creates a new file
cat filename Displays the file content
Joins two files (file1, file2) and stores the output
cat file1 file2 > file3
in a new file (file3)
mv file "new file path" Moves the files to the new location
mv filename new_file_name Renames the file to a new filename
Allows regular users to run programs with the
sudo
security privileges of the superuser or root
rm filename Deletes a file
man Gives help information on a command
Gives a list of all past commands typed in the
history
current terminal session
clear Clears the terminal
Creates a new directory in the present working
mkdir directoryname
directory or a at the specified path
rmdir Deletes a directory
mv Renames a directory

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