Quick Command List

A short list of commands to get you started

• ls (List files)
• rm <filename> (Remove a file)
• rm -rf <dirname> (Remove directory and all it contains)
• cp <filename> <path/dirname> (Copy a file another location)
• mv <filename> <path/dirname> (Move a file)
• cat <filename> (Display a file)
• less <filename> (Display a file – scroll forward and backward)
• mount Used to access cdrom, floppy, memory stick, and other filesystems. In Linux these devices will be in /dev and will be mounted in a directory on the system. Information is placed in /etc/fstab to make the process easier. Generally the syntax is
  mount -t <filesystem-type> <device> <mountpoint>
  • Examples:
    • mount -t iso9660 /dev/cdrom /cdrom
    • mount -t auto /dev/fd0 /floppy
    • mount -t vfat /dev/sda1 /mnt/jump (memory stick)
    • mount -t vfat /dev/hda1 /mnt/win (Windows FAT32)
• umount /floppy (to unmount – yes, the “n” is missing)
• Shutdown the system
  • shutdown -h now (Shutdown now)
  • shutdown -r now (Shutdown and reboot)
• startx (Start Xwindows)
• find files, strings in files, command information
  • find / -name <filename> (Starting with the root directory, look for the file called filename)
  • find / -name “*name*” (Starting with the root directory, look for the file containing the string “name”)
  • locate <filename>
  • updatedb (Create or update the database for locate)
  • grep <string> * (find files in the current directory which contain )
  • man <command name> (Get the manual page for these commands)
  • apropos <string> (list manpages that contain in the command name or description)
  • info <command name> (information on a command)
  • Type the first letter or two of a command and then hit TAB twice. You will get a list of all commands beginning with those letters. Autocompletion is handy.
  • Alphabetical Listing of Linux Commands from Linux in a Nutshell at : http://www.linuxdevcenter.com/linux/cmd/