Linux is an open-source operating system that is popular among developers, system administrators, and power users. One of the reasons for its popularity is the command-line interface, which allows users to interact with the system through text commands. In this article, we’ll discuss the top 10 most frequently used Linux commands and their functionalities.
- ls – List directory contents
The “ls” command is used to list the contents of a directory. It displays the files and directories in the current directory by default, but you can specify a different directory by providing the path as an argument. The output of the command includes the name, size, and modification date of each file.
- cd – Change directory
The “cd” command is used to change the current directory. You can specify the name of the directory you want to move to as an argument. If you don’t provide an argument, the command takes you to your home directory.
- pwd – Print working directory
The “pwd” command is used to print the current working directory. It displays the full path of the current directory on the terminal.
- mkdir – Make directory
The “mkdir” command is used to create a new directory. You can specify the name of the directory you want to create as an argument.
- rm – Remove files or directories
The “rm” command is used to remove files or directories. You can specify the name of the file or directory you want to remove as an argument. The command can also be used with various options to remove files recursively, force deletion, and more.
- cp – Copy files or directories
The “cp” command is used to copy files or directories. You can specify the source and destination paths as arguments. The command can also be used with various options to preserve file attributes, copy recursively, and more.
- mv – Move or rename files or directories
The “mv” command is used to move or rename files or directories. You can specify the source and destination paths as arguments. The command can also be used to rename files or directories by specifying the new name as the destination.
- touch – Create a new empty file
The “touch” command is used to create a new empty file. You can specify the name of the file you want to create as an argument. If the file already exists, the modification time is updated.
- cat – Concatenate files and print to standard output
The “cat” command is used to concatenate files and print the output to the standard output. You can specify the names of the files you want to concatenate as arguments. The command can also be used with various options to number lines, display non-printing characters, and more.
- grep – Search for a pattern in a file or input
The “grep” command is used to search for a pattern in a file or input. You can specify the pattern and file or input as arguments. The command outputs the lines that contain the pattern.
In conclusion, these are the top 10 most frequently used Linux commands and their functionalities. Understanding these commands can help you navigate the Linux operating system more efficiently and accomplish your tasks more effectively.