Command reference
Most Useful Commands for Beginners
A practical starter set for moving around, reading files, installing software, checking identity, and asking for help.
pwd
Prints the current working directory.
pwd
ls
Lists files and directories.
ls [options] [path]
cd
Changes the current shell directory.
cd [directory]
mkdir
Creates directories.
mkdir [options] directory...
cp
Copies files and directories.
cp [options] source... destination
mv
Moves or renames files and directories.
mv [options] source... destination
rm
Removes files or directory trees.
rm [options] file...
cat
Prints and concatenates file contents.
cat [options] file...
less
Opens text in a scrollable pager.
less [options] file
grep
Searches text for matching patterns.
grep [options] pattern [file...]
find
Searches for files by name, type, time, size, and more.
find path [tests] [actions]
sudo
Runs a command with elevated privileges according to policy.
sudo [options] command
apt
Manages packages on Debian and Ubuntu-style systems.
apt [command] [package]
man
Opens manual pages.
man [section] page