Directory and file commands

• cd - Changes the directory you are in, e.g. to go to the mnt directory:
• cd /mnt
• cd .. - Moves you up one directory, e.g. from /home/user to /home:
• cd ..
• ~ - Move to the users home directory:
• ~
• ls - Lists the directory contents (minimal):
• ls
• ls -laF - Lists the directory contents (detailed):
• ls -laF
• du - Disk space usage, e.g. list directories and sizes:
• du -sm *
• cat - Prints (via the terminal) the contents of a file:
• cat some-file
• mkdir - Creates a directory:
• mkdir some-directory
• mv - Moves or renames a file or directory:
• mv /dir/some-file /dir2/some-file
• cp - Copies a file:
• cp some-file some-file-backup
• rm - Removes (deletes) a file:
• rm some-file
• rm -r - Removes (deletes) a directory and its contents:
• rm -r some-directory
• rmdir - Removes (deletes) an empty directory:
• rmdir some-directory
• touch - Creates a file (if file already exist, the timestamp is updated):
• touch some-file

Go back to the How-to Guides main page.