Last Updated on 4 years by ICT Byte

Commands for Files and Directory Handling in Linux

• Cd
  • To change directory
  • E.g cd / [we are moving to root directory]

• Cd..
  • Takes one level up of directory
  • E.g cd..

• Ls
  • To list the items of directory
• Ls –la
  • List content of directory including hidden files
  • E.g ls-la

• Cp
  • Copies the content from file a to file b
  • If file b is not there, file b is created
  • It it exists, b is overwritten
  • E.g cp ict.txt byte.txt [we are copying content from ict.txt to byte.txt]
• Cp –r
  • Copies content of directory
  • If second directory is not found, second directory is created
  • If it exists, content is overwritten

• Mv
  • To rename files and directories
  • To move files and directories
• Cat
  • Prints content of file
  • E.g cat filename.txt

• Head
  • Prints first ten line of file
  • E.g head ict.txt
• Rm
  • To delete file
• Rm –f
  • Forecefully delets file

• Mkdir
  • Create  a new directory if no exists
• Mkdir –p
  • Creates nested directory
  • E.g mkdir /p example/ict/byte
• Rmdir
  • Remove/delete directory

• Pwd
  • Displays currently working directory
• File
  • To determine type of file
  • E.g file filename
• More
  • View text file in command prompt one screen at  a time if file is large
• Less
  • Read content of text file one page per time