50+ Essential Linux Commands Every User Should Know
Want to master the command line? This guide covers 50+ essential Linux commands, perfect for beginners and experienced users alike. Quickly navigate, manage files, and control your system with these powerful tools.
Why Learn Linux Commands?
- Efficiency: Execute tasks faster than with a graphical interface.
- Automation: Script repetitive tasks for increased productivity.
- Control: Fine-tune your system settings and software.
- Versatility: Manage servers, develop software, and troubleshoot problems.
Let's dive into the must-know Linux commands that will transform your command-line experience.
Core File and Directory Management Commands
These are the workhorses of the Linux command line. Learn these to navigate and manipulate your files and directories effortlessly.
1. ls: List Files and Directories
See what's inside a directory with ls.
ls: Lists files and directories in the current directory.ls -l: Provides detailed information, including permissions and sizes.ls -a: Shows hidden files and directories (those starting with a dot).
2. pwd: Print Working Directory
Not sure where you are in the file system? pwd shows your current location.
- Simply type
pwdto display the full path of your current directory.
3. cd: Change Directory
Move between directories with cd.
cd directory_name: Navigates to the specified directory.cd ..: Moves up one level to the parent directory.cd: Returns to your home directory.
4. mkdir: Make Directory
Create new directories with mkdir.
mkdir directory_name: Creates a new directory with the given name.mkdir -p path/to/new/directory: Creates a nested directory structure.
5. cp: Copy Files
Duplicate files with cp.
cp source_file destination_file: Copies a file to a new location.cp -r source_directory destination_directory: Recursively copies an entire directory.
6. mv: Move or Rename Files
Relocate or rename files with mv.
mv source_file destination_file: Moves a file to a new location.mv old_name new_name: Renames a file.
7. rm: Remove Files and Directories
Delete files and directories with rm. Be careful – this is permanent!
rm file_name: Deletes a file.rm -r directory_name: Recursively deletes a directory and its contents.rm -i file_name: Prompts for confirmation before deleting.
8. touch: Create Empty Files
Create new, empty files with touch.
touch file_name: Creates an empty file.- Also updates the timestamp of existing files if they exist.
Viewing and Manipulating File Content: Essential Linux Commands
These commands allow you to peek inside files and manipulate their contents from the command line.
9. cat: Concatenate and Print Files
Display the entire content of a file.
cat file_name: Shows the file's content on the terminal.
10. echo: Print Text
Display text on the terminal.
echo "Hello, world!": Prints the message "Hello, world!".echo $VARIABLE: Displays the value of an environment variable.
11. less: View Files Page by Page
Open files in a scrollable, page-by-page format.
less file_name: Opens the file for viewing.- Use the spacebar to scroll down,
bto scroll back, andqto quit.
12. head: View the Beginning of a File
Display the first few lines of a file.
head file_name: Shows the first 10 lines.head -n 20 file_name: Shows the first 20 lines.
13. tail: View the End of a File
Display the last few lines of a file (useful for logs).
tail file_name: Shows the last 10 lines.tail -f file_name: Continuously displays new lines as they are added to the file.
14. grep: Search for Text
Search for specific patterns within files. This is one of the most powerful Linux commands for filtering data.
grep "pattern" file_name: Finds lines containing the specified pattern.grep -i "pattern" file_name: Performs a case-insensitive search.grep -r "pattern" directory_name: Recursively searches for the pattern within a directory.
15. sort: Sort File Content
Arrange lines of text in a specific order.
sort file_name: Sorts the lines alphabetically.sort -n file_name: Sorts numerically if the lines contain numbers.
System Information and Management: Know Your Linux System
Get insights into your system's configuration and manage running processes.
16. uname: System Information
Display basic information about your operating system.
uname -a: Shows all system information.uname -r: Displays the kernel release.
17. whoami: Current User
Print the username of the currently logged-in user.
- Simply type
whoamito see your username.
18. ps: Process Status
View a snapshot of currently running processes.
ps aux: Shows all processes running on the system.ps -ef: Comprehensive process list.
19. top: Real-Time Process Monitoring
Display a dynamic, real-time view of running processes and system resource usage.
- Type
topto start the monitoring tool. - Press
qto quit.
20. kill and killall: Terminate Processes
Terminate running processes.
kill process_id: Sends a signal to terminate the process with the given ID (found usingpsortop).killall process_name: Kills all processes with the specified name.
21. df: Disk Space Information
Display disk space usage.
df -h: Shows disk space usage in a human-readable format (e.g., GB, MB).
22. du: Directory Space Usage
Estimate file space usage.
du -sh directory_name: Shows the total size of a directory in a human-readable format.
23. free: Memory Usage
Display the amount of free and used memory in the system.
free -m: Shows memory usage in megabytes.
24. ifconfig or ip addr: Network Interface Configuration
Display network interface information. ip addr is the modern replacement for ifconfig.
ifconfig: (May require installation)ip addr: Lists network interfaces and their IP addresses.
25. ping: Test Network Connectivity
Check if a network host is reachable.
ping google.com: Sends packets to Google's server and measures the response time.
26. netstat: Network Statistics
Display network connections, routing tables, interface statistics, and more.
netstat -tulnp: Shows listening ports.
27. ss: Socket Statistics
Another tool to investigate sockets. ss is intended to be the replacement for netstat.
ss -tulnp: Displays listening ports via sockets.
Permissions and Ownership: Secure Your Files
Control who can access and modify your files.
28. chmod: Change File Permissions
Modify file permissions (read, write, execute) for the owner, group, and others.
chmod 755 file_name: Sets read, write, and execute permissions for the owner, and read and execute for the group and others.
29. chown: Change File Ownership
Change the owner and group associated with a file.
chown user:group file_name: Changes the owner touserand the group togroup.
Archiving and Compression: Managing Large Files
Reduce file sizes and create archives for easy storage and transfer.
30. tar: Tape Archive
Create and extract archive files.
tar -cvf archive.tar files: Creates an archive namedarchive.tarcontaining the specified files.tar -xvf archive.tar: Extracts the contents ofarchive.tar.tar -czvf archive.tar.gz files: Creates a compressed archive (gzip).tar -xzvf archive.tar.gz: Extracts a compressed archive.
31. gzip and gunzip: Compress and Decompress Files
Compress individual files.
gzip file_name: Compresses the file tofile_name.gz.gunzip file_name.gz: Decompresses the file.
32. zip and unzip: Create and Extract Zip Archives
Work with ZIP archives.
zip archive_name.zip files: Creates a ZIP archive containing the specified files.unzip archive_name.zip: Extracts the contents of the ZIP archive.
Package Management: Install and Update Software
Install, update, and remove software packages (commands vary depending on the Linux distribution).
33. apt (Debian/Ubuntu): Advanced Package Tool
sudo apt update: Updates the package lists.sudo apt upgrade: Upgrades installed packages.sudo apt install package_name: Installs a new package.sudo apt remove package_name: Removes a package.
34. yum (Red Hat/CentOS): Yellowdog Updater, Modified
sudo yum update: Updates the system.sudo yum install package_name: Installs a package.sudo yum remove package_name: Removes a package.
35. dnf (Fedora): Dandified Yum
sudo dnf update: Updates the system.sudo dnf install package_name: Installs a package.sudo dnf remove package_name: Removes a package.
36. pacman (Arch Linux): Package Manager
sudo pacman -Syu: Synchronizes package databases and updates the system.sudo pacman -S package_name: Installs a package.sudo pacman -R package_name: Removes a package.
Networking and Remote Access
Connect to remote servers and manage network configurations.
37. ssh: Secure Shell
Connect to a remote server securely.
ssh user@remote_host: Connects to the specified host as the specified user.
38. scp: Secure Copy
Securely copy files between your local machine and a remote server.
scp file user@remote_host:/path/to/destination: Copies a file to the remote server.
39. wget: Web Get
Download files from the internet.
wget URL: Downloads the file from the specified URL.
System Administration and Control
These commands provide administrative control over your Linux system.
40. sudo: Super User Do
Execute commands with elevated privileges.
sudo command: Runs the specified command as the superuser (root).
41. service: Manage Services
Start, stop, restart, and manage system services.
sudo service service_name start: Starts a service.sudo service service_name stop: Stops a service.sudo service service_name restart: Restarts a service.
42. systemctl: Control the Systemd System and Service Manager
Control the systemd system and service manager, used on many modern Linux distributions.
sudo systemctl start service_name: Starts a service.sudo systemctl stop service_name: Stops a service.sudo systemctl restart service_name: Restarts a service.sudo systemctl status service_name: Shows the status of a service.
43. firewall-cmd: Dynamic Firewall Manager
Control the systemd system and service manager, used on many modern Linux distributions.
- Before usage please check the status
sudo firewall-cmd --state - List all open ports
sudo firewall-cmd --list-all - To open a port
sudo firewall-cmd --add-port=8080/tcp --permanent - To reload the firewalld
sudo firewall-cmd --reload - To remove a port
sudo firewall-cmd --remove-port=8080/tcp --permanent
Other Useful Linux Commands
These commands don't fit neatly into the above categories but are still valuable to know.
44. alias: Create Command Shortcuts
Create custom shortcuts for frequently used commands.
alias la='ls -la': Creates an aliaslafor the commandls -la. Typelato executels -la.
45. history: Command History
View a list of previously executed commands.
- Type
historyto see your command history. - Use
!numberto re-execute a command from the history list.
46. man: Manual Pages
Access the online manual pages for commands.
man command_name: Displays the manual page for the specified command.
47. cal: Calendar
View a calendar in the terminal.
- Type
calto see the current month's calendar.
48. find: Find Files
Search for files based on various criteria.
find . -name "file_name": Finds files with the specified name in the current directory and its subdirectories.
49. locate: Locate Files
Quickly find files by name (requires a pre-built database – run sudo updatedb to update it).
locate file_name: Finds files with the specified name.
50. diff: Compare Files
Show the differences between two files.
diff file1 file2: Displays the differences between the two files.
51. wc: Word Count
Count the number of lines, words, and characters in a file.
wc file_name: Displays the counts for the file.wc -l file_name: Displays only the line count.
Mastering Linux Commands: Next Steps
This list provides a solid foundation for using the Linux command line. To further enhance your skills:
- Practice Regularly: The more you use these commands, the more comfortable you'll become.
- Experiment: Try different options and combinations of commands.
- Read Manual Pages: Use
man command_nameto learn about advanced features and options. - Explore Online Resources: Numerous websites and tutorials offer in-depth explanations and examples.
By mastering these essential Linux commands, you'll unlock a new level of control and efficiency in your computing experience.