Essential Linux Commands Every Beginner Should Know

Essential Linux Commands Every Beginner Should Know

Entering the world of Linux can be daunting for beginners, but mastering the command line is a powerful tool in your journey. Linux commands allow you to perform tasks from simple file manipulations to system management. Here, we’ll cover some fundamental Linux commands that are essential for every beginner. Understanding these commands will help you navigate and manage your Linux environment more effectively.

1. ls – List Directory Contents

• What it does: Displays the files and directories in the current directory.
• Usage: ls will list the contents of the current directory. You can add flags like -l for a detailed list, and -a to show hidden files.

ls -la

2. cd – Change Directory

• What it does: Changes the current directory to another directory.
• Usage: cd [directory] moves you into the specified directory. Use cd .. to go up one directory level, and cd or cd ~ to return to your home directory.

cd /var/log

3. pwd – Print Working Directory

• What it does: Shows the full path of the current directory.
• Usage: Simply type pwd to display the path of the directory you’re currently in.

pwd

4. mkdir – Make Directory

• What it does: Creates a new directory.
• Usage: mkdir [directory-name] creates a new directory with the specified name.

 mkdir new_folder

5. rmdir – Remove Directory

• What it does: Deletes an empty directory.
• Usage: rmdir [directory-name] removes the specified empty directory.

rmdir old_folder

6. touch – Create a New File

• What it does: Creates a new empty file or updates the timestamp of an existing file.
• Usage: touch [file-name] creates a new file or updates an existing file’s timestamp.

touch example.txt

7. rm – Remove Files or Directories

• What it does: Deletes files or directories.
• Usage: rm [file-name] deletes a file. Use -r to recursively delete a directory and its contents.

rm example.txt
rm -r directory_name

8. cp – Copy Files or Directories

• What it does: Copies files or directories from one location to another.
• Usage: cp [destination] copies the source file or directory to the specified destination.

cp original.txt copy.txt

9. mv – Move or Rename Files or Directories

• What it does: Moves or renames files or directories.
• Usage: mv [original-name] [new-name] renames a file or directory, or mv [destination] to move files or directories.

mv old_name.txt new_name.txt

10. man – Manual Pages

• What it does: Displays the manual page for other commands.
• Usage: man [command] shows the manual page for the specified command, which includes all possible flags and detailed usage.

man ls

11. grep – Search Text

• What it does: Searches for patterns within text.
• Usage: grep 'pattern' [file] searches for the specified pattern within a file. Use -i to ignore case sensitivity.

grep 'error' log.txt

12. cat – Concatenate and Display Files

• What it does: Displays the contents of files and can concatenate multiple files into one output.
• Usage: cat [file-name] to display the contents of a file, cat file1 file2 > mergedfile to concatenate file1 and file2 into a new file called mergedfile.

cat example.txt

Each of these commands is a stepping stone into the vast capabilities of the Linux command line. As you become more familiar with these basics, you’ll find yourself seamlessly navigating and manipulating the Linux environment, paving the way for more advanced system management and scripting skills.