Linux shell commands are the backbone of system administration and development tasks. Knowing the right commands can significantly enhance your productivity in software development. In this blog post, we'll explore some of the most popular and useful Linux shell commands that every user should know.
1. Navigating the File System
ls
The ls command lists the contents of a directory.
Common options:
-l : Long listing format
-a : Include hidden files
-h : Human-readable file sizes
cd
cd /path/to/directory
cd .. : Move up one directory level
cd ~ : Move to the home directory
pwd
The pwd (print working directory) command displays the current directory path.
2. Managing Files and Directories
cp
The cp command copies files and directories.
cp source_file destination_file
cp -r source_directory destination_directory : Copy directories recursively
mv
The mv command moves or renames files and directories.
mv old_name new_name
rm
The rm command removes files or directories.
rm file_name
rm -r directory_name : Remove directories recursively
rm -i file_name : Prompt before each removal
mkdir
The mkdir command creates new directories.
mkdir directory_name
touch
The touch command creates empty files or updates the timestamp of existing files.
touch file_name
3. Viewing and Editing Files
cat
The cat command concatenates and displays file content.
cat file_name
less
The less command allows you to view file content page by page.
less file_name
Use q to quit, space to scroll down, and b to scroll up.
head and tail
The head and tail commands display the beginning and end of a file, respectively.
head file_name tail file_name
head -n 10 file_name : Display the first 10 lines
tail -n 10 file_name : Display the last 10 lines
nano and vim
These are text editors used for editing files directly in the terminal.
nano file_name vim file_name
nano is user-friendly and suitable for beginners.
vim is powerful with advanced features but has a steeper learning curve.
4. Searching and Finding Files
find
The find command searches for files and directories within a directory hierarchy.
find /path/to/search -name "file_name"
-type f : Search for files
-type d : Search for directories
grep
The grep command searches for patterns within files.
grep "pattern" file_name
grep -r "pattern" directory_name : Search recursively within a directory
locate
The locate command quickly finds files by name using a database of indexed files.
locate file_name
5. System Monitoring and Management
top
The top command displays real-time system resource usage.
top
Press q to quit.
ps
The ps command displays information about active processes.
ps aux
ps -ef : Another format for displaying processes
df
The df command shows disk space usage.
df -h
-h : Human-readable format
6. Networking
ping
The ping command checks connectivity to a host.
ping google.com
curl
The curl command transfers data from or to a server using various protocols.
curl http://example.com
ifconfig
The ifconfig command configures network interfaces.
ifconfig
7. Permissions and Ownership
chmod
The chmod command changes file permissions.
chmod 755 file_name
chown
The chown command changes file ownership.
chown user:group file_name
8. Package Management
apt
The apt command is used for managing packages on Debian-based systems.
sudo apt update sudo apt install package_name sudo apt remove package_name
yum
The yum command is used for managing packages on RPM-based systems.
sudo yum update sudo yum install package_name sudo yum remove package_name
9. Compression and Archiving
tar
The tar command creates and extracts compressed archives.
tar -cvf archive_name.tar directory_name tar -xvf archive_name.tar
zip and unzip
The zip command compresses files, and unzip decompresses them.
zip archive_name.zip file_name unzip archive_name.zip
10. Miscellaneous Commands
echo
The echo command displays a line of text.
echo "Hello, World!"
date
The date command displays or sets the system date and time.
date
history
The history command displays the command history.
history
alias
The alias command creates shortcuts for commands.
alias ll='ls -l'
These are just a few of the many powerful shell commands available in Linux. Mastering these commands will significantly enhance your efficiency and productivity when working with Linux systems. Whether you're navigating the file system, managing files, or monitoring system resources, these commands are essential tools in your arsenal. Happy shell scripting!
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