Linux is a powerful operating system with a rich set of commands that allow you to control nearly every aspect of the system. Here is a list of over 50 Linux commands that you should know, including some of the most important ones:
File and Directory Commands
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ls: List files and directories. -
cd: Change the current directory. -
pwd: Print the current working directory. -
cp: Copy files and directories. -
mv: Move or rename files and directories. -
rm: Remove files and directories. -
mkdir: Create a directory. -
rmdir: Remove empty directories. -
touch: Create an empty file or update the timestamp. -
ln: Create links (symbolic or hard).
File Viewing and Searching Commands
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cat: Concatenate and display files. -
less: View files interactively, allowing you to scroll. -
more: View files interactively, similar to less. -
head: Display the beginning of a file. -
tail: Display the end of a file. -
grep: Search for patterns within files. -
find: Search for files in a directory hierarchy. -
locate: Quickly find files by name. -
du: Display disk usage of files and directories.
File Manipulation Commands
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chmod: Change file permissions. -
chown: Change file ownership. -
chgrp: Change file group ownership. -
tar: Create and extract archive files. -
gzip: Compress files. -
gunzip: Decompress files. -
bzip2: Compress files with the bzip2 algorithm. -
bunzip2: Decompress files with the bzip2 algorithm. -
zip: Create a zip archive. -
unzip: Extract a zip archive.
Network Commands
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ping: Test network connectivity. -
ifconfig: Display or configure network interfaces. -
netstat: Display network connections and statistics. -
traceroute: Trace the route packets take to a network host. -
wget: Download files from the web. -
curl: Transfer data from or to a server. -
ssh: Securely connect to a remote server. -
scp: Securely copy files to or from a remote server. -
ftp: Transfer files using the FTP protocol. -
sftp: Securely transfer files using the SFTP protocol.
Process Management Commands
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ps: Display information about processes. -
top: Display dynamic information about running processes. -
htop: Interactive process viewer (if installed). -
kill: Terminate processes. -
pkill: Terminate processes by name or attribute. -
jobs: Display a list of background jobs. -
bg: Resume a background job. -
fg: Bring a background job to the foreground. -
nice: Execute a command with a modified scheduling priority. -
renice: Change the scheduling priority of running processes.
System Management Commands
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df: Display disk space usage. -
free: Display memory usage. -
uptime: Display system uptime and load averages. -
uname: Display system information. -
hostname: Display or set the system's hostname. -
date: Display or set the system date and time. -
timedatectl: Query and change system clock and time settings. -
sudo: Execute commands as another user (typically root). -
su: Switch user accounts. -
useradd: Create a new user account. -
usermod: Modify an existing user account. -
userdel: Delete a user account. -
groupadd: Create a new group. -
groupdel: Delete a group.
These commands are just the beginning of what you can do in Linux. By learning how to use them effectively, you will gain significant control over your Linux system.