Command Reference

For many of these commands, you will find more information by typing

man [command]

at the UNIX command line.

General UNIX commands

1. ls -- (List Schema) This command will list the contents of your current directory. It only returns files that are not (.) "dot" files.
2. mkdir -- (Make Directory). With this command will create a subdirectory in your home directory.
3. cd - (Change Directory) With this command you can move from your current working directory to a new directory.
4. pwd -- (Print Working Directory). The pwd command, when evoked, will display the absolute pathname for the directory you are currently in..
5. cp (copy). This command will copy a file from one directory to another.
6. mv -- (Move) this allows you to move a file from one place to another
7. rm - (Remove) This command is used to delete a file.
8. rmdir (Remove Directory) This command is used to delete directories.
9. clear - Clear the terminal window.
10. cat (Concatenate) Can be used to display the contents of a file on the screen.
11. more -- The more command is used to view files just like cat except that the more command lets you view the information 1 page at a time.
12. head -- The head command writes the first 10 lines of a file to the screen.
13. tail -- The tail command writes the last ten lines of a file to the screen.
14. grep -- The grep command will search a file for specified words or patterns and prints out each line in which the word or pattern occurs.
15. wc -- (Word Count) this gives a word count for a specific filename.
16. ping -- allows to determine if a hosts Ethernet configuration is good.
17. traceroute -- allows you see the path that a packet must travel to get to its destination.
18. ns lookup -- allows you to invoke DNS to lookup a host or IP address.
19. .whois -- Script that Queries the InterNic Database for information on a particular host.
20. chmod -- Change access modes on files.
21. csplit -- Break files at specific locations.
22. file -- Determine a files type.
23. install -- Set up system files.
24. ln -- Create filename aliases.
25. rcp -- Copy files to a remote system.
26. split -- Splits files evenly.
27. banner -- Make posters from words.
28. pc -- Precision Calculator.
29. cal -- Display Calendar.
30. calendar -- Check for reminders.
31. kill -- Terminate a running command.
32. nice -- Reduce a jobs priority.
33. nohup -- Preserve a job after logging out.
34. passwd -- Set a password.
35. script -- produce a transcript of your login session.
36. spell -- report misspelled words.
37. su -- Become a superuser.

Printing commands

1. cancel -- Cancel a printer request.
2. lp -- Send to the printer.
3. lpstat -- Get printer status.
4. pr -- Format and paginate for printing.

Searching

1. egrep -- Extended version of grep.
2. fgrep -- Search files for literal words.
3. find -- Search the systems for filenames.
4. grep -- Search files for text patterns.
5. strings -- Search binary files for text patterns.

Shell Programming

1. echo -- Repeat input on the output.
2. expr -- Perform arithmetic and comparisons.
3. line -- Read a line of input.
4. sleep -- Pause during processing.
5. test -- Test a condition.

Storage

1. compress -- Compress files to free up space.
2. cpio -- Copy archives in or out.
3. pack -- Pack files to free up space.
4. pcat -- Display contents of packed files.
5. tar -- Tape archiver.
6. uncompress -- Expand compressed (.Z) files.
7. unpack -- Expand packed (.z) files.
8. zcat -- Display contents of compressed files.

System Status

1. at -- Execute commands later.
2. chgrp -- Change file group.
3. chown -- Change file owner.
4. crontab -- Automate commands.
5. date -- Display or set date.
6. df -- Show free disk space.
7. du -- Show disk usage.
8. env -- Show environmental variables.
9. finger -- Point out information about users.
10. ps -- Show processes.
11. ruptime -- Show loads on working systems.
12. shutdown -- Revert to single-user mode.
13. stty -- Set or display terminal settings.
14. who -- Show who is logged on.

Text Processing

1. cut -- Select columns for display.
2. ex -- Line-editor underlying vi.
3. fmt -- produce roughly uniform lines.
4. fold -- Produce exactly uniform line lengths.
5. join -- Merge different columns into a database.
6. nawk -- New version of awk.
7. paste -- Merge columns of switch order.
8. sed -- Noninte4active text editor.
9. sort -- Sort or merge files.
10. tr -- Translate characters.
11. uniq -- Find repeated or unique lines in a file.
12. vi -- Visual editor.
13. xargs - Process many arguments in a manageable portions.

Test Yourself

Think that you know your basic UNIX commands? Do you now how to remove a directory with files in it? Why not take our Unix Commands Quiz and see where you're at?

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Last modified: May 28 2007.