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How to Get Familiar With Ubuntu Commands
In Ubuntu, and in most Linux distros, you will find a
software quite similar with the Command line in
Windows, which is called "Terminal". In this article, we
present you different functions with the Terminal
application.
First off, a little bit of information on what different commands associated with files
and directory mean.
sudo ("substitute user do"): A very common expression which indicates that the taken
action must be verified with the admin password.
cd ("change directory"): With this command you can navigate your way throughout the
system. Simply typing "cd" or "cd ~" will take you to the home folder, which is the
folder you are located in by default when starting up a Terminal session.
cd / - Takes you to the root directory.
cd .. - Takes you up one directory level.
cd - - Takes you to the previous directory.
pwd ("print working directory"): It displays your location in the system.
ls ("list"): Lists all files in current directory. Typing "ls ~" will show you the files in your
home folder and adding on a folder name shows a list over the files in that specific
folder. For example will "ls ~/Desktop" show you the files in your Desktop folder.
cp ("copy"): Allows you to copy a file. To do so, add the name of the file you desire to
copy along with the command as long as the file is located in the directory you have
browsed to. Otherwise, type "cp ~/<file path>" in order to specify where the file you
want copy is located.
mv ("move"): With this command, you can rename or move a file. If you want to
rename the file "big" to "bang", you may want to type "mv big bang". This requires that
you have browsed to the correct directory or that you specifies the file path. When
typing "mv bang ~/Desktop", the file "bang" will be moved from home to Desktop, but
if you want to rename the file as well, add the new file name next to the current name
in the command.
rm ("remove"): Simply removes a file. Just specify the file path/file name.
rmdir ("remove directory"): Removes an 'empty' directory.
rm-r ("remove recursively"): Removes a directory along with its content. The fact
that you should specify the directory path is self-explaining.
mkdir ("make directory"): Allows you to create a directory. Example: "mkdir private
files" will create a directory named "private files" (Located in home directory unless
you have browsed somewhere else with the terminal or specified a path for the new
directory)
Now over to some help commands. The man ("manual") command displays the
command manual (which actually makes this how-to unnecessary). The command info
Steps
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displays some documentation.
man man: This manual page tells you about the manual page itself.
man intro: Gives you a brief introduction to Linux Commands.
info info: Introduces you to the info pages.
When you need information about a command, type "<command name>-h" or
"<command name>--help", if the first rule did not work. You see, some command lines
may not associate -h with --help.
Now, here follows some useful commands regarding system information.
df (display filesystem): Displays how much disk space on every mounted partition that
is occupied. df -h uses MB and GB instead of blocks, which makes it more
convenient.
du (directory usage): Displays how much space space a given directory plus all of its
subdirectories uses. du -s gives you a summary while du -h translates the information
to non - geekish.
The free command tells you how much space which is available for usage. To view
the statistics in megabytes, type free -m.
uname -a: Prints all information about your system.
Isb_release -a: Prints information about your Linux distro.
top: This command igniates system monitoring, viewing RAM, CPU, and swap usage
plus the total of running processes. Press "q" to shut down the monitor.
How to save time while typing in commands:
Use the Up and Down arrow keys to navigate your way through previously executed
commands if you for example have to reuse them.
Hit Enter as soon as you're done with typing in your command.
The Tab key takes a guess on what command you are intending to use. If uncertain, it
will view a list of possible choosable commands.
ctrl+R allows you to search for previously entered commands while the command
history displays your entire command history.
This list provides you some common Linux commands:
A
adduser: Add a user to the system
addgroup: Add a group to the system
alias: Create an alias
apropos: Search Help manual pages (man -k)
apt-get: Search for and install software packages (Debian/Ubuntu)
aptitude: Search for and install software packages (Debian/Ubuntu)
aspell: Spell Checker
awk: Find and Replace text, database sort/validate/index
B
basename: Strip directory and suffix from filenames
bash: GNU Bourne-Again SHell
bc: Arbitrary precision calculator language
bg: Send to background
break: Exit from a loop
builtin: Run a shell builtin
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bzip2: Compress or decompress named file(s)
C
cal: Display a calendar
case: Conditionally perform a command
cat: Display the contents of a file
cd: Change Directory
cfdisk: Partition table manipulator for Linux
chgrp: Change group ownership
chmod: Change access permissions
chown: Change file owner and group
chroot: Run a command with a different root directory
chkconfig: System services (runlevel)
cksum: Print CRC checksum and byte counts
clear: Clear terminal screen
cmp: Compare two files
comm: Compare two sorted files line by line
command: Run a command - ignoring shell functions
continue: Resume the next iteration of a loop
cp: Copy one or more files to another location
cron: Daemon to execute scheduled commands
crontab: Schedule a command to run at a later time
csplit: Split a file into context-determined pieces
cut: Divide a file into several parts
D
date: Display or change the date & time
dc: Desk Calculator
dd: Convert and copy a file, write disk headers, boot records
ddrescue: Data recovery tool
declare: Declare variables and give them attributes
df: Display free disk space
diff: Display the differences between two files
diff3: Show differences among three files
dig: DNS lookup
dir: Briefly list directory contents
dircolors: Colour setup for `ls'
dirname: Convert a full pathname to just a path
dirs: Display list of remembered directories
dmesg: Print kernel & driver messages
du: Estimate file space usage
E
echo: Display message on screen
egrep: Search file(s) for lines that match an extended expression
eject: Eject removable media
enable: Enable and disable builtin shell commands
env: Environment variables
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ethtool: Ethernet card settings
eval: Evaluate several commands/arguments
exec: Execute a command
exit: Exit the shell
expect: Automate arbitrary applications accessed over a terminal
expand: Convert tabs to spaces
export: Set an environment variable
expr: Evaluate expressions
F
false: Do nothing, unsuccessfully
fdformat: Low-level format a floppy disk
fdisk: Partition table manipulator for Linux
fg: Send job to foreground
fgrep: Search file(s) for lines that match a fixed string
file: Determine file type
find: Search for files that meet a desired criteria
fmt: Reformat paragraph text
fold: Wrap text to fit a specified width.
for: Expand words, and execute commands
format: Format disks or tapes
free: Display memory usage
fsck: File system consistency check and repair
ftp: File Transfer Protocol
function: Define Function Macros
fuser: Identify/kill the process that is accessing a file
G
gawk: Find and Replace text within file(s)
getopts: Parse positional parameters
grep: Search file(s) for lines that match a given pattern
groups: Print group names a user is in
gzip: Compress or decompress named file(s)
H
hash: Remember the full pathname of a name argument
head: Output the first part of file(s)
help: Display help for a built-in command
history: Command History
hostname: Print or set system name
I
id: Print user and group id's
if: Conditionally perform a command
ifconfig: Configure a network interface
ifdown: Stop a network interface
ifup: Start a network interface up
import: Capture an X server screen and save the image to file
install: Copy files and set attributes
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J
jobs: List active jobs
join: Join lines on a common field
K
kill: Stop a process from running
killall: Kill processes by name
L
less: Display output one screen at a time
let: Perform arithmetic on shell variables
ln: Make links between files
local: Create variables
locate: Find files
logname: Print current login name
logout: Exit a login shell
look: Display lines beginning with a given string
lpc: Line printer control program
lpr: Off line print
lprint: Print a file
lprintd: Abort a print job
lprintq: List the print queue
lprm: Remove jobs from the print queue
ls: List information about file(s)
lsof: List open files
M
make: Recompile a group of programs
man: Help manual
mkdir: Create new folder(s)
mkfifo: Make FIFOs (named pipes)
mkisofs: Create an hybrid ISO9660/JOLIET/HFS filesystem
mknod: Make block or character special files
more: Display output one screen at a time
mount: Mount a file system
mtools: Manipulate MS-DOS files
mtr: Network diagnostics (traceroute/ping)
mv: Move or rename files or directories
mmv: Mass Move and rename (files)
N
netstat: Networking information
nice: Set the priority of a command or job
nl: Number lines and write files
nohup: Run a command immune to hangups
notify-send: Send desktop notifications
nslookup: Query Internet name servers interactively
O
open: Open a file in its default application
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op: Operator access
P
passwd: Modify a user password
paste: Merge lines of files
pathchk: Check file name portability
ping: Test a network connection
pkill: Stop processes from running
popd: Restore the previous value of the current directory
pr: Prepare files for printing
printcap: Printer capability database
printenv: Print environment variables
printf: Format and print data
ps: Process status
pushd: Save and then change the current directory
pwd: Print Working Directory
Q
quota: Display disk usage and limits
quotacheck: Scan a file system for disk usage
quotactl: Set disk quotas
R
ram: ram disk device
rcp: Copy files between two machines
read: Read a line from standard input
readarray: Read from stdin into an array variable
readonly: Mark variables/functions as readonly
reboot: Reboot the system
rename: Rename files
renice: Alter priority of running processes
remsync: Synchronize remote files via email
return: Exit a shell function
rev: Reverse lines of a file
rm: Remove files
rmdir: Remove folder(s)
rsync: Remote file copy (Synchronize file trees)
S
screen: Multiplex terminal, run remote shells via ssh
scp: Secure copy (remote file copy)
sdiff: Merge two files interactively
sed: Stream Editor
select: Accept keyboard input
seq: Print numeric sequences
set: Manipulate shell variables and functions
sftp: Secure File Transfer Program
shift: Shift positional parameters
shopt: Shell Options
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shutdown: Shutdown or restart linux
sleep: Delay for a specified time
slocate: Find files
sort: Sort text files
source: Run commands from a file `.'
split: Split a file into fixed-size pieces
ssh: Secure Shell client (remote login program)
strace: Trace system calls and signals
su: Substitute user identity
sudo: Execute a command as another user
sum: Print a checksum for a file
suspend: Suspend execution of this shell
symlink: Make a new name for a file
sync: Synchronize data on disk with memory
T
tail: Output the last part of files
tar: Tape Archiver
tee: Redirect output to multiple files
test: Evaluate a conditional expression
time: Measure Program running time
times: User and system times
touch: Change file timestamps
top: List processes running on the system
traceroute: Trace Route to Host
trap: Run a command when a signal is set(bourne)
tr: Translate, squeeze, and/or delete characters
true: Do nothing, successfully
tsort: Topological sort
tty: Print filename of terminal on stdin
type: Describe a command
U
ulimit: Limit user resources
umask: Users file creation mask
umount: Unmount a device
unalias: Remove an alias
uname: Print system information
unexpand: Convert spaces to tabs
uniq: Uniquify files
units: Convert units from one scale to another
unset: Remove variable or function names
unshar: Unpack shell archive scripts
until: Execute commands (until error)
useradd: Create new user account
usermod: Modify user account
users: List users currently logged in
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uuencode: Encode a binary file
uudecode: Decode a file created by uuencode
V
v: Verbosely list directory contents (`ls -l -b')
vdir: Verbosely list directory contents (`ls -l -b')
vi: Text Editor
vmstat: Report virtual memory statistics
W
watch: Execute/display a program periodically
wc: Print byte, word, and line counts
whereis: Search the user's $path, man pages and source files for a program
which: Search the user's $path for a program file
while: Execute commands
who: Print all usernames currently logged in
whoami: Print the current user id and name (`id -un')
Wget: Retrieve web pages or files via HTTP, HTTPS or FTP
write: Send a message to another user
X and onwaard
xargs: Execute utility, passing constructed argument list(s)
xdg-open: Open a file or URL in the user's preferred application.
yes: Print a string until interrupted
.: Run a command script in the current shell. ### allows you to remark or
comment without disturbing the Terminal.
Then again, you can always just skip reading this heavy guide and simply take advice
when needed from strange members on the Ubuntu Forums and copy - paste strange
commands into the Terminal. To do so, mark the command with your cursor and press ctrl
+ C. Paste it into gedit and customize it with file paths if required. Copy the command again
when finished, open up the Terminal and press ctrl + shift + V in order to paste the
command.
Rameshkumar by kreatio ***iftop*** This command use to see the server bandwith
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Tips
Related wikiHows
Sources and Citations
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https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UsingTheTerminal
http://oreilly.com/linux/command-directory/
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