25 Essential Linux Commands for Beginners: A Guide to Mastering the Command Line

These 25 commonly used commands are ideal for newcomers who want to get started on the Linux command line.

Getting started on the Linux command line might seem overwhelming at first, but as you gain familiarity, the various commands will begin to fall into place. When you open a command terminal or log into a remote Linux server, you will find yourself at the command prompt, which could appear as just a $ or something like [george@system ~]$. This prompt indicates your current directory, typically your home directory.

Here are some essential commands you should know:

1. pwd: Displays the current directory (e.g., /home/george).
2. ls: Lists the files in your current location. Use ls -a to show hidden files that start with dots.
3. cat: Displays the contents of a text file.
4. more: Outputs the text file one screenful at a time.
5. less: Similar to more, but lets you back up through the file.
6. cd: Changes the directory. For example, cd /tmp moves you to the /tmp directory, while just typing cd will return you to your home directory.
7. touch: Creates an empty file (e.g., touch newfile).
8. echo: Displays the specified text, and you can redirect it into a file (e.g., echo "read me" > newfile).
9. rm: Deletes a file (e.g., rm myfile).
10. mv: Renames or moves a file (e.g., mv newfile oldfile or mv newfile /tmp).
11. cp: Copies a file (e.g., cp myfile /tmp/yourfile).
12. passwd: Changes your password.
13. clear: Clears the terminal screen.
14. head: Displays the first few lines of a file.
15. tail: Shows the last few lines of a file.
16. man: Provides the manual for a command (e.g., man pwd).
17. date: Displays the current date and time.
18. cal: Shows a calendar for the current month.
19. whoami: Displays the current username.
20. alias: Creates shortcuts for commands (e.g., alias c=clear).
21. history: Displays recent commands.
22. grep: Searches for a specific string in a text file (e.g., grep alias ~/.bashrc).
23. sort: Sorts the contents of a text file.
24. mkdir: Creates a new directory (e.g., mkdir reports).
25. ps: Lists currently running processes.

These commands are a strong foundation for beginning to navigate and manipulate your environment in Linux. As you experiment with them, you’ll gain confidence and discover more advanced functionalities. For more tips and tricks on using Linux, keep exploring resources available online.

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