Useful UNIX Commands

Essentials

  • passwd - use  to change your password.  Type passwd then follow the prompts.
  • logout - or Ctrl/D use this command when you are done, always
  • man - use the command 'man command' to learn about a command.   

Files and Directories

  • cd - change directory
    • cd / to back to root directory  note, slash opposite from DOS slash
    • cd ..  to back up one directory level, note there must be a space
       
  • chmod - changes files or directory's access rights.
     
  • pwd - print working directory (the directory you are in)
     
  • rmdir - remove directory (the directory must be empty)
  • mkdir - make a new directory
  • rm - remove a file or directory
     
  • ls - list files
  • cp - copy a file
  • mv - move a file (destroys original)
     
  • less - view a text file
  • cat - prints the contents of a file on the screen

System Status

  • quota -v - displays disk limits and amount currently in use
  • who - display who is on the machine and where they are connected from
  • w - display who is on and what they are doing

Editors and Text Processors

  • vi - Visual Editor.
  • pico - Easy to use editor
  • grep - searches a file for a pattern

Last updated on Jan 5, 2002 by L.M. Hicks