Essential Linux Directory and File Commands for Beginners

Navigating Linux systems relies heavily on command-line tools. Here’s a comprehensive guide to 25 fundamental commands for managing directories and files, complete with practical examples.

1. Directory Navigation

1. pwd (Print Working Directory)

   • Shows your current directory path.
     Example:

     $ pwd
     /home/username

2. cd (Change Directory)

   • Moves between directories.
     Examples:

     $ cd Documents      # Enter "Documents"
     $ cd ..             # Go back one level
     $ cd ~              # Return to home directory

3. ls (List Files/Directories)

   • Displays directory contents.
     Examples:

     $ ls                # List visible items
     $ ls -a             # Include hidden files (e.g., .config)
     $ ls -l             # Detailed view (permissions, size)

4. tree

   • Shows directories/files in a visual tree structure.
     Example:

     $ tree -L 2         # Display 2 levels deep

2. Creating & Deleting Directories

5. mkdir (Make Directory)

   • Creates new directories.
     Examples:

     $ mkdir Projects              # Single directory
     $ mkdir -p Projects/2024/docs # Nested directories

6. rmdir (Remove Directory)

   • Deletes empty directories.
     Example:

     $ rmdir Old_Projects  

3. File Operations

7. touch

   • Creates empty files or updates timestamps.
     Example:

     $ touch report.txt  

8. cp (Copy)

   • Copies files/directories.
     Examples:

     $ cp file.txt backup/          # Copy to "backup"
     $ cp -r dir1/ dir2/            # Copy directories recursively

9. mv (Move/Rename)

   • Moves or renames files/directories.
     Examples:

     $ mv old.txt new.txt           # Rename
     $ mv file.txt ~/Documents/     # Move to "Documents"

10. rm (Remove)

    • Deletes files/directories. Use cautiously!
      Examples:

      $ rm temp.log                 # Delete file
      $ rm -r Junk_Folder/          # Delete directory & contents

4. Viewing & Searching Files

11. cat (Concatenate)

    • Displays entire file content.
      Example:

      $ cat notes.txt  

12. less

    • Views large files page-by-page (press q to quit).
      Example:

      $ less system.log  

13. head

    • Shows first 10 lines of a file.
      Example:

      $ head -n 5 log.txt           # Display first 5 lines

14. tail

    • Shows last 10 lines (useful for logs).
      Example:

      $ tail -f app.log             # Monitor real-time updates

15. grep (Global Regular Expression Print)

    • Searches text patterns.
      Example:

      $ grep "error" system.log     # Find "error" in file

16. find

    • Locates files/directories.
      Examples:

      $ find /home -name "*.jpg"    # Search JPEGs in /home
      $ find . -type d -name "docs" # Find directories named "docs"

17. locate

    • Finds files quickly using a database.
      Example:

      $ locate budget.xlsx          # Requires: sudo updatedb

5. File Metadata & Permissions

18. file

    • Identifies file type.
      Example:

      $ file unknown_data          # Output: "PDF document, version 1.5"

19. chmod (Change Mode)

    • Modifies file permissions.
      Examples:

      $ chmod +x script.sh         # Make executable
      $ chmod 644 config.txt       # Set rw-r--r--

20. chown (Change Owner)

    • Changes file/directory ownership.
      Example:

      $ sudo chown user:group data.txt  

6. Disk Usage & Archives

21. df (Disk Free)

    • Shows disk space usage.
      Example:

      $ df -h                      # Human-readable format (GB/MB)

22. du (Disk Usage)

    • Estimates file/directory space.
      Example:

      $ du -sh Documents/          # Summary size of "Documents"

23. tar (Tape Archive)

    • Combines files into archives.
      Examples:

      $ tar -cvf archive.tar dir/  # Create archive
      $ tar -xvf backup.tar        # Extract files

24. gzip/gunzip

    • Compresses/decompresses files.
      Example:

      $ gzip bigfile.log           # Compress → bigfile.log.gz
      $ gunzip bigfile.log.gz      # Decompress

25. stat

    • Displays detailed file metadata.
      Example:

      $ stat report.txt            # Access/modify times, inode, etc.

Tips for Beginners

• Combine commands with | (pipe):

  $ ls -l | grep ".txt"          # List only .txt files

• Use man for help:

  $ man rm                       # View rm's manual

• Avoid rm -rf / – this deletes everything!

Practice these commands in a safe environment to build confidence. Mastery unlocks efficient Linux system management! 🐧