Most useful Linux terminal commands

📁 Navigation in files and folders

• pwd – shows current directory

• ls – lists files and folders

  • ls -l – detailed view

  • ls -a – shows hidden files

• cd folder – enter a folder

• cd .. – go back one folder

📂 File management

• touch file.txt – creates an empty file

• mkdir folder – creates a folder

• cp file1 file2 – copies files

• mv file1 folder/ – moves files

• rm file.txt – deletes a file

• rm -r folder – deletes a folder (recursive)

📄 Reading files

• cat file.txt – shows entire file

• less file.txt – scroll through file

• head file.txt – first 10 lines

• tail file.txt – last 10 lines

🔎 Searching

• find . -name "file.txt" – finds files

• grep "text" file.txt – searches inside files

⚙️ System information

• top – shows running processes

• htop – improved version of top (if installed)

• df -h – disk usage

• free -h – memory usage

• uname -a – system information

🔐 Permissions

• chmod +x file – makes file executable

• chmod 644 file – changes file permissions

• sudo command – runs as admin

🌐 Networking

• ping google.com – tests connection

• curl url – fetch data from web

• wget url – download files

📦 Package management (Ubuntu/Debian)

• sudo apt update – updates package list

• sudo apt install name – installs program

• sudo apt remove name – removes program