Best Linux Commands for Beginners

The Linux Commands are very essential if you are working on Linux operating system. Linux is an incredibly powerful operating system that’s used everywhere from personal computers to servers. For those new to Linux, the command line might seem intimidating, but it’s an essential part of mastering this OS.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the best Linux commands for beginners. We’ll cover what each command does, how to use it, and provide simple examples to help you get started.

Before starting to learn commands, first question is arise in our minds.

Why we use Linux system?

Using a Linux system offers numerous advantages for various types of users, from developers to system administrators to casual users. Here are some compelling reasons why people choose to use Linux:

Open Source and Free
Security and Stability
Customization and Flexibility
Strong Community Support
Powerful Command-Line Interface (CLI)
Versatility and Compatibility
Developers’ Choice
Performance and Resource Efficiency
Privacy and Control
Educational Value

Command List

sudo	pwd	ls	cd	mkdir
rmdir	cp	mv	rm	cat
echo	man	find	grep	chmod
kill	wget	curl	history	nano
vim	locate	ps	crontab	touch

1. sudo – Execute Commands with Superuser Privileges

What It Does:

The sudo command allows users to run commands with superuser (root) privileges.

How to Use It:

Type sudo followed by the command you want to run.

Example:

$ sudo apt update

This updates the package list using superuser privileges.

Additional Tip:

sudo su switches to the root user.

2. pwd – Print Working Directory

What It Does:

The pwd command stands for “print working directory.” It displays the current directory you are in.

How to Use It:

Simply type pwd and press Enter.

Example:

$ pwd
/home/username

This tells you that you are in the /home/username directory.

3. ls – List Directory Contents

What It Does:

The ls command lists all the files and directories in the current directory.

How to Use It:

Type ls and press Enter.

Example:

$ ls
Documents  Downloads  Pictures  Videos

This shows you the folders named Documents, Downloads, Pictures, and Videos in your current directory.

Additional Options:

ls -l gives you a detailed list, including file permissions and sizes.
ls -a shows hidden files and directories.

$ ls -la
total 32
drwxr-xr-x  5 username username 4096 Aug 24 12:34 .
drwxr-xr-x  3 username username 4096 Aug 24 12:00 ..
-rw-r--r--  1 username username   54 Aug 24 12:34 file.txt

4. cd – Change Directory

What It Does:

The cd command changes your current directory to another directory.

How to Use It:

Type cd followed by the directory name or path.

Example:

$ cd Documents
$ pwd
/home/username/Documents

You’ve changed into the Documents directory.

Additional Tip:

cd .. moves up one directory level.
cd / takes you to the root directory.

5. mkdir – Make Directory

What It Does:

The mkdir command creates a new directory.

How to Use It:

Type mkdir followed by the directory name you want to create.

Example:

$ mkdir new_folder
$ ls
Documents  Downloads  Pictures  Videos  new_folder

You’ve created a new directory named new_folder. It is generally used when you work in project in any programming language.

6. rmdir – Remove Directory

What It Does:

The rmdir command removes an empty directory.

How to Use It:

Type rmdir followed by the directory name you want to remove.

Example:

$ rmdir new_folder
$ ls
Documents  Downloads  Pictures  Videos

The new_folder directory is now removed.

Note:

If the directory is not empty, you need to use rm -r instead, but be careful as it will delete all contents within the directory.

7. cp – Copy Files and Directories

What It Does:

The cp command copies files or directories from one location to another.

How to Use It:

Type cp followed by the source file/directory and the destination.

Example:

$ cp file.txt /home/username/Downloads

This copies file.txt to the Downloads directory.

To Copy Directories:

Use the -r (recursive) option.

$ cp -r folder_name /home/username/Downloads

8. mv – Move or Rename Files and Directories

What It Does:

The mv command moves or renames files and directories.

How to Use It:

Type mv followed by the source and destination.

Example:

$ mv file.txt /home/username/Documents

This moves file.txt to the Documents directory.

To Rename:

$ mv old_name.txt new_name.txt

9. rm – Remove Files

What It Does:

The rm command removes files.

How to Use It:

Type rm followed by the file name.

Example:

$ rm file.txt

This deletes file.txt.

Additional Options:

Use rm -r to remove directories and their contents.
Use rm -i to prompt for confirmation before deleting.

10. cat – Concatenate and Display File Content

What It Does:

The cat command displays the contents of a file. It is widely used in linux commands.

How to Use It:

Type cat followed by the file name.

Example:

$ cat file.txt
Hello, world!

This shows the content of file.txt.

11. echo – Display a Line of Text

What It Does:

The echo command prints text to the terminal.

How to Use It:

Type echo followed by the text you want to display.

Example:

$ echo "Hello, Linux!"
Hello, Linux!

12. man – Manual Pages

What It Does:

The man command displays the manual pages for other linux commands, providing detailed information on their usage.

How to Use It:

Type man followed by the command name.

Example:

$ man ls

This shows the manual page for the ls command.

13. find – Search for Files

What It Does:

The find command searches for files and directories within a specified location.

How to Use It:

Type find followed by the path and search criteria.

Example:

$ find /home/username -name file.txt
/home/username/Documents/file.txt

This searches for file.txt starting from the /home/username directory.

14. grep – Search Text in Files

What It Does:

The grep command searches for a specified pattern in a file.

How to Use It:

Type grep followed by the pattern and the file name.

Example:

$ grep "Hello" file.txt
Hello, world!

This searches for the word “Hello” in file.txt.

15. chmod – Change File Permissions

What It Does:

The chmod command changes the permissions of a file or directory.

How to Use It:

Type chmod followed by the permissions and the file name.

Example:

$ chmod 755 script.sh

This sets the permissions of script.sh to be readable, writable, and executable by the owner, and readable and executable by others. It very important in linux commands list.

16. kill – Terminate Processes

What It Does:

The kill command sends a signal to terminate processes. In linux commands, it is frequently used when the system or program stuck.

How to Use It:

Type kill followed by the process ID (PID).

Example:

$ kill 1234

This sends the default TERM signal to process 1234.

Additional Options:

Use kill -9 <PID> to forcefully terminate a process.

17. wget – Download Files from the Web

What It Does:

The wget linux command is used to download files from the web.

How to Use It:

Type wget followed by the URL.

Example:

$ wget https://example.com/file.zip

This downloads file.zip from example.com.

Additional Options:

-O <filename> specifies a different output file name.

18. curl – Transfer Data from or to a Server

What It Does:

The curl command transfers data to or from a server using various protocols.

How to Use It:

Type curl followed by options and the URL.

Example:

$ curl -O https://example.com/file.zip

This downloads file.zip from example.com.

Additional Options:

-d <data> sends data to the server.

19. history – Show Command History

What It Does:

The history command displays a list of previously executed commands.

How to Use It:

Type history and press Enter.

Example:

$ history

This shows a list of commands you’ve used recently.

Additional Options:

!<number> re-executes the command at the specified history number.

20. nano – Simple Text Editor

What It Does:

The nano command opens a simple text editor in the terminal.

How to Use It:

Type nano followed by the file name.

Example:

$ nano myfile.txt

This opens myfile.txt in the nano editor.

Additional Tip:

Use Ctrl + X to exit, Y to save changes, and N to discard changes.

21. vim – Advanced Text Editor

What It Does:

The vim command opens a powerful text editor with many features. In linux commands it is mostly used as an alternative of nano.

How to Use It:

Type vim followed by the file name.

Example:

$ vim myfile.txt

This opens myfile.txt in the vim editor.

Additional Tip:

Use :q to quit, :wq to save and quit, and :q! to quit without saving.

22. locate – Find Files by Name

What It Does:

The locate command quickly finds files by name using a prebuilt index.

How to Use It:

Type locate followed by the file name or pattern.

Example:

$ locate file.txt

This finds paths that include file.txt.

Additional Tip:

Use updatedb to update the database before searching.

23. ps – Report Process Status

What It Does:

The ps command provides information about the currently running processes.

How to Use It:

Type ps followed by options.

Example:

$ ps aux

This lists all processes with detailed information.

Additional Options:

-e shows all processes.

24. crontab – Schedule Tasks

What It Does:

The crontab command manages scheduled tasks (cron jobs). This linux command mostly use when you are working in real world application.

How to Use It:

Type crontab -e to edit the cron jobs.

Example:

$ crontab -e

This opens the cron table for editing.

Additional Tip:

Each line represents a scheduled job with a time and command.

What It Does:

The touch is a versatile command for managing file timestamps and creating files, and it’s quite useful in various scripting and system administration tasks.

How to Use It:

Type touch file_name.file_extension.

Example:

$ touch filename.txt

This creates the file.

Additional Options:

you can create multiple files at once