Linux: Basic Commands You Can Use Daily
Linux is a free and open-source operating system known for its stability, reliability, and security. One of the key features of Linux is its powerful command-line interface (CLI), which allows users to interact with the system using text commands. In this post, we'll go over some of the basic Linux commands that you can use daily.
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ls - List files and directories in the current directory
The "ls" command is used to list the files and directories in the current directory. You can use various options with "ls" to customize the output, such as "-l" to display additional information about each file and "-a" to show hidden files.
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cd - Change the current directory
The "cd" command is used to change the current directory. You can navigate to different directories in the filesystem by typing "cd" followed by the directory path. For example, "cd /etc" would take you to the "/etc" directory.
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mkdir - Create a new directory
The "mkdir" command is used to create a new directory. You can specify the name of the new directory as an argument to the command. For example, "mkdir new_directory" would create a new directory called "new_directory" in the current directory.
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touch - Create a new file or update timestamp of an existing file
The "touch" command is used to create a new empty file or update the timestamp of an existing file. If you specify the name of a file that does not exist, touch will create a new empty file with that name. If the file already exists, touch will update its timestamp to the current time.
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cp - Copy files and directories
The "cp" command is used to copy files and directories from one location to another. You specify the source file or directory, followed by the destination directory. For example, "cp file.txt /home/user" would copy the file "file.txt" to the directory "/home/user".
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mv - Move files and directories
The "mv" command is used to move files and directories from one location to another. You specify the source file or directory, followed by the destination directory. For example, "mv file.txt /home/user" would move the file "file.txt" to the directory "/home/user".
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rm - Remove files and directories
The "rm" command is used to remove files and directories. Be careful when using this command, as it will permanently delete files and directories without warning. You can use the "-r" option to remove directories and their contents recursively.
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cat - Display contents of a file
The "cat" command is used to display the contents of a file in the terminal. You specify the name of the file as an argument to the command. For example, "cat file.txt" would display the contents of the file "file.txt".
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pwd - Print the current working directory
The "pwd" command is used to print the current working directory to the terminal. This can be useful when you need to know the full path to the current directory.
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top - Monitor system resource usage
The "top" command is used to monitor system resource usage. It displays information about the processes running on the system, their resource usage, and the system's overall performance. You can use this command to identify processes that are consuming too much CPU or memory and terminate them if necessary.
By learning some of these basic Linux commands, you can become more proficient with the command line and perform tasks more efficiently. There are many more commands available in Linux, and each command has its own set of options and arguments. Learning how to use the Linux command line can take some time and effort, but it can be very rewarding. The more comfortable you become with the command line, the more you'll be able to do with Linux. Happy command-line computing!