Basic Linux Commands for Beginners

Basic:

pwd ==> print the name of current directory || Ex: pwd

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whoami ==> print the current user || Ex: whoami
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cd [directoryName] ==> enter a directory || Ex: cd Music
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cd .. ==> go back to the parent directory || Ex: cd ..
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cp [file] ==> copy file || Ex: cp music.mp3
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ls ==> list all items in the current folder || Ex: ls
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clear ==> clears the terminal || Ex: clear
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mkdir [foldername] ==> makes folder with the specified name || Ex: mkdir Songs
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rmdir [foldername] ==> removes the specified folder || Ex: rmdir Songs
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echo [param] ==> outputs the value of the variable || Ex: echo "Hi"
or string to stdout
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tree ==> lists the files in the current || Ex: tree
directory in tree like format
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For sorting files:

mv [file] [newname]==> rename a file or folder || Ex: mv exe txt

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cat [filename] ==> reads the specified file || Ex: cat cmds.txt
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tac [filename] ==> reads the specified file in reverse || Ex: tac cmds.txt
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tail [file, file] ==> reads first 10 lines of the files || Ex: tail cmds.txt
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zip [file, file] ==> compresses the specified files || Ex: zip files
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vi [file] ==> edit file in the terminal || Ex: vi cmds.txt
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gedit [file] ==> edits the file in text editor || Ex: gedit cm.txt
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nano [file] ==> edit file in nano editor || Ex: nano cmds.txt
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tar ==> same as bzip2 || Ex: tar file
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bzip2 -z / -d ==> compress and decompress files with || Ex: bzip2 -z cmds
the extension "bz2" respectively
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gzip ==> same as bzip2 but compresses files || Ex: gzip file
with a gz extension.
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Getting help:

man [command] ==> show the manual of the command || Ex: ls man
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[command] --help ==> similar to man but ouputs in terminal || Ex: pwd --help
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apropos [word] ==> search for the word in description || Ex: aprpos list
of all commands
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More advanced:

reboot ==> reboot the system || Ex: reboot

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which [command] ==> ouputs the location of the command || Ex: which ls
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su [username] ==> impersonate as the specified user || Ex: su root
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id ==> print user and group information || Ex: id
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hostname ==> display or seta computer s hostname || Ex: hostname
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uname -a ==> show all the information of the OS || Ex: uname -a
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exit ==> exit the current user or the terminal || Ex: exit
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shutdown -P +min ==> shutdowns the system || Ex: shutdown -P
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Networking:

ifconfig ==> lists all the network interfaces on || Ex: ifconfig

your machine
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netstat ==> displays network connections for TCP, || Ex: netstat
routing tables, and a number of network interface and network protocol statistic
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To remove a directory (file), use the command -

rmdir directoryname

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Directories can be created on a Linux operating system using the following command:
mkdir directoryname

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For renaming file:

mv filename newfilename

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The syntax to combine 2 files is

cat file1 file2 > newfilename

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To view a file, use the command -

cat filename

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The 'mv' (move) command can also be used for renaming directories. Use the below-
given format:
mv directoryname newdirectoryname