10 Basic Linux Commands Every Beginner Should Know

By Unix Training Academy | Published on LinuxNugget.com

Top 10 Beginner Linux Commands:

• 1. pwd – Print Working Directory
  Shows the current directory you're in.
  pwd
• 2. ls – List Directory Contents
  Displays files and folders in your current directory.
  ls
ls -l # long format
  ls -a # includes hidden files
• 3. cd – Change Directory
  Move to another folder.
  cd Documents
cd .. # go up one level
  cd /home/user # go to specific path
• 4. mkdir – Make Directory
  Create a new folder.
  mkdir my_folder
• 5. touch – Create a File
  Create an empty file.
  touch notes.txt
• 6. rm – Remove Files or Directories
  Delete files or folders (careful with this one!).
  rm file.txt
rm -r folder_name # delete folder and contents
• 7. cp – Copy Files
  Copy files from one location to another.
  cp file.txt /home/user/Desktop
• 8. mv – Move or Rename Files
  Move or rename files.
  mv oldname.txt newname.txt
mv file.txt /new/location/
• 9. cat – View File Contents
  Displays text files in the terminal.
  cat myfile.txt
• 10. man – Manual Pages
  Read the help manual for a command.
  man ls
man mkdir

Bonus Tip: Use TAB for Auto-Complete

Start typing a command or filename, then hit TAB — Linux will finish it for you (if unique). Huge time-saver!

Conclusion:

These 10 commands form the foundation of working in the Linux terminal. Master these, and you’ll be ready to dive deeper into file management, scripting, and server work.

Continue Reading

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• 25 Essential Linux Commands Every Sysadmin Must Know
• How to Create and Manage Users in Linux