Top 10 Linux Commands Everyone Should Know

top-10-Linux-Commands.md

🐧 Top 10 Linux Commands Everyone Should Know

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1. ls — List directory contents

Displays files and folders in the current directory.

ls           # Basic listing
ls -l        # Long listing format
ls -a        # Show hidden files

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2. cd — Change directory

Navigate between folders.

cd /path/to/folder
cd ..        # Go up one level
cd ~         # Go to home directory

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3. pwd — Print working directory

Shows the full path to your current location.

pwd

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4. cp — Copy files and directories

Duplicate files or entire directories.

cp file.txt /new/location/
cp -r folder/ /new/location/

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5. mv — Move or rename files

Used for moving or renaming files.

mv oldname.txt newname.txt
mv file.txt /new/location/

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6. rm — Remove files or directories

Deletes files or folders permanently.

rm file.txt
rm -r folder/        # Delete a directory and its contents

⚠️ Warning: There’s no undo.

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7. touch — Create empty files

Creates a new file or updates the timestamp of an existing one.

touch newfile.txt

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8. cat — View contents of a file

Displays the entire content of a file.

cat file.txt

For long files, consider using less or more.

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9. sudo — Run as superuser

Gives you elevated privileges for administrative tasks.

sudo apt update
sudo rm -rf /restricted/area

Requires your user password.

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10. man — Manual pages

Displays help documentation for commands.

man ls
man grep

Use the arrow keys to scroll, and q to quit.

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✅ Bonus Tip

Combine commands with pipes and redirection:

ls -l | grep "filename"
echo "Hello" > file.txt

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