18/09/2015

CommonLinuxCommandsForDummies

Advertisement

Dummies.com,aWileyBrandMakingEverythingEasier
Search
Facebook Google+ Twitter YouTube Newsletter
ShopforBooks&More

RecommendedforYou

5Lakhto1Crorein10
years
Promotedbyscripbox

10NutrientsThatShrink
YourBellyFor
Dummies

HowToUseHeatMap
TechnologyforContent
Audits

FantasyFootball
MistakestoAvoidFor
Dummies

PromotedbyOutbrain
Recommendedby

Home
SeeAllTopics

Computers&Software
OperatingSystems
Linux
Advertisement

http://www.dummies.com/howto/content/commonlinuxcommands.html

1/7

18/09/2015

CommonLinuxCommandsForDummies

CommonLinuxCommands
ByRichardBlum

PartoftheLinuxForDummiesCheatSheet
OpensourceLinuxisapopularalternativetoMicrosoftWindows,andifyouchoosetousethislowcostorfree
operatingsystem,youneedtoknowsomebasicLinuxcommandstomakeyoursystemsmoothly.Themost
commonLinuxcommandsareshowninthistable.
Command
cat[filename]
cd/directorypath
chmod[options]mode
filename
chown[options]filename

Description
Displayfilescontentstothestandardoutputdevice(usuallyyourmonitor).
Changetodirectory.
Changeafilespermissions.
Changewhoownsafile.

http://www.dummies.com/howto/content/commonlinuxcommands.html

2/7

18/09/2015

CommonLinuxCommandsForDummies

clear
cp[options]source
destination
date[options]
df[options]
du[options]
file[options]filename
find[pathname]
[expression]
grep[options]pattern
[filesname]
kill[options]pid
less[options][filename]
ln[options]source
[destination]
locatefilename
lpr[options]
ls[options]
man[command]
mkdir[options]directory
mv[options]source
destination
passwd[name[password]]
ps[options]
pwd
rm[options]directory
rmdir[options]directory
ssh[options]
user@machine
su[options][user
[arguments]]
tail[options][filename]
tar[options]filename
top
touchfilename
who[options]

Clearacommandlinescreen/windowforafreshstart.
Copyfilesanddirectories.
Displayorsetthesystemdateandtime.
Displayusedandavailablediskspace.
Showhowmuchspaceeachfiletakesup.
Determinewhattypeofdataiswithinafile.
Searchforfilesmatchingaprovidedpattern.
Searchfilesoroutputforaparticularpattern.
Stopaprocess.Iftheprocessrefusestostop,usekill9pid.
Viewthecontentsofafileonepageatatime.
Createashortcut.
Searchacopyofyourfilesystemforthespecifiedfilename.
Sendaprintjob.
Listdirectorycontents.
Displaythehelpinformationforthespecifiedcommand.
Createanewdirectory.
Renameormovefile(s)ordirectories.
Changethepasswordorallow(forthesystemadministrator)tochangeany
password.
Displayasnapshotofthecurrentlyrunningprocesses.
Displaythepathnameforthecurrentdirectory.
Remove(delete)file(s)and/ordirectories.
Deleteemptydirectories.
RemotelylogintoanotherLinuxmachine,overthenetwork.Leaveanssh
sessionbytypingexit.
Switchtoanotheruseraccount.
Displaythelastnlinesofafile(thedefaultis10).
Storeandextractfilesfromatarfile(.tar)ortarball(.tar.gzor.tgz).
Displaystheresourcesbeingusedonyoursystem.Pressqtoexit.
Createanemptyfilewiththespecifiedname.
Displaywhoisloggedon.

AddaComment
Print
Share

ForDummies Recommends
http://www.dummies.com/howto/content/commonlinuxcommands.html

3/7

18/09/2015

CommonLinuxCommandsForDummies

UsefulCommandsinUbuntuLinux
7TopBellyFatFightingFoodsForDummies
LinuxFileSystemBasics
LinuxAllinOneForDummies
UbuntuLinuxForDummies
PromotedStoriesFromAroundTheWeb

AliaBhattisaselfconfessedparty
animalReadallaboutherParties
here!

HowtoSucceedinContent
MarketingWithoutPublishinga
Thing

6InvestingLessonsfromtheRichest
ManintheWorldWarrenBuffett

LiveInStyle.com

Outbrain

LtGovernorNajeebJungWarns

9BrandedWatchesThatLook

UniqueMethodMayRegrowLost

BureaucratsNotToFollowKejriwal
Government's'IllegalOrders'

ExpensiveButAreNot

Hair

Rediff

LifestyleJournal

10StarsWhoMarriedTheirFans

Fuelforyourcarobsession

OldCatLady

SkodaonThatscoop

AnitaInderSingh:Russiaisplaying
aweakhandinAsia,despiteChina
ties

scripbox

FrontPage

NikkeiAsianReview

Recommendedby

COMMENTS
blogcommentspoweredbyDisqus
http://www.dummies.com/howto/content/commonlinuxcommands.html

4/7

18/09/2015

CommonLinuxCommandsForDummies

Advertisement

SERIES
LinuxForDummiesCheatSheet
NEXT
HowtoUseCDsandDVDswithLinux

FeaturedBook
Linux
For
Dummies,
9th
Edition
(0470467010)
LinuxForDummies,9thEdition
US$34.99
AddToCart
MoreForDummies
OnlineTestBanks
BrowseOnlineCourses
ExploreMobileApps
ShopforBooksandMore
Advertisement

http://www.dummies.com/howto/content/commonlinuxcommands.html

5/7

18/09/2015

CommonLinuxCommandsForDummies

Newsletters
Signupforoneofournewsletters...

Computers,MobileDevices&Gadgets
DigitalPhotography
Food,Home&Garden
Health&Wellness
Mac
MicrosoftWindows&Office
Online&SocialNetworking
PersonalFinance&Careers
SmallBusiness
enterEMailaddress
SignUp
PrivacyPolicy
Advertisement

TopicsAZ
MoreFromDummies
Aboutus
AboutForDummies
ContactUs
PrivacyPolicy
TermsandConditions
AdvertisewithUs
ManageYourEMail
Newsletters

MobileSite
MyAccount
DummiesB2B
Services
OnlineTest
Banks
eLearning
MobileApps

http://www.dummies.com/howto/content/commonlinuxcommands.html

SmallBusiness&
Careers
Computers&
Software
Consumer
Electronics
Crafts&Hobbies
Education&
Languages

Home&Garden
Internet&Social
Media
Music&Creative
Arts
PersonalFinance
Pets
Photography&
Video
Relationships&
Family
6/7

18/09/2015

CommonLinuxCommandsForDummies

Help

DummiesStore
Sweepstakes

Food&Drink
Games
Health&Fitness

Religion&
Spirituality
Sports&Outdoors

Copyright2015&TrademarkbyJohnWiley&Sons,Inc.Allrightsreserved.

http://www.dummies.com/howto/content/commonlinuxcommands.html

7/7