Basic Linux commands for managing directories and files

Owned by Meghan Netterville
Last updated: Sept 03, 2024
2 min read

Helpful Tips

  • Tab Completion: Press Tab to auto-complete commands and file names.

  • Man Pages: Use man [command] to read the manual for a command (e.g., man ls).

Directory Commands

 

  • pwd: Print the current working directory.

pwd

 

  • ls: List directory contents.

ls ls -l # Long listing format ls -a # Include hidden files ls -lh # Human-readable format

 

  • cd [directory]: Change the current directory.

cd /path/to/directory cd .. # Move up one directory cd ~ # Change to home directory cd - # Change to the previous directory

 

  • mkdir [directory]: Create a new directory.

 

  • rmdir [directory]: Remove an empty directory.

 

  • rm -r [directory]: Remove a directory and its contents recursively.

 

File Commands

 

  • touch [file]: Create an empty file or update the timestamp of an existing file.

 

  • cp [source] [destination]: Copy files or directories.

 

  • mv [source] [destination]: Move or rename files or directories.

 

  • rm [file]: Remove files or directories.

 

  • cat [file]: Concatenate and display file content.

 

  • more [file]: View file content one screen at a time.

 

  • less [file]: View file content with backward and forward navigation.

 

  • head [file]: Display the first few lines of a file.

 

  • tail [file]: Display the last few lines of a file.