| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| cat | Read the contents of text files. See also: less |
| cd | 'change directory' – move in and out of directories on the file system |
| chmod | Set/change the permissions on a file/directory |
| cp | Copy a file/directory to a new location |
| dpkg | Debian package manager. Another tool, along with apt-get, for installing, updating and removing packages from your server |
| ln | Create a link to a file/folder. Soft links (ln –s) are similar to Shortcuts in Windows, they point you to the original file/folder. If the original file/folder is deleted, the link will no longer work |
| ls | Show the contents of directories |
| less | Read the contents of text files |
| mv | Move files between directories, or can also rename a file |
| nano | Editor for configuration files. Edit and write files, such as configuration files, from the command line |
| pwd | 'present working directory' – shows what directory you are currently in |
| rm | Delete files; use rm -rf to delete directories. Use carefully, there is no Recycle Bin to retrieve any accidentally deleted files |
| rmdir | Deletes empty directories. Will not delete a directory if there are files in it; see rm -rf for this |
| sudo | For user accounts which have administrative access, 'sudo' allows them to perform such admin commands; elevates the rights of users who are allowed to do so |
| tar | Tool for bundling many files/directories into one file (tarball) for ease of backup |
| unzip | Extract/unzip a compressed .zip file |
| wget | Download files from the internet. Very feature rich tool with many options |
| which | All commands you type are files saved somewhere on the system, and when you type the command linux runs that file . 'which' shows you the location of a command. 'which ls' shows you the ls command is stored in the /bin directory (/bin/ls) |