Understanding the Linux Command Line

In my previous post, I explained How to create a Linux development environment on Windows 10.

The shell prompt (or command line) is where one types commands in. When accessing the system through a text-based terminal, the shell is the main way of accessing programs and doing work on the system. In effect, it is a shell surrounding all other programs being run.

Getting Started

1. apropos – used to find availble commands: $ apropos "list dir"
2. man – read command manuals: $ man apropos
3. -h – command parameter giveing help: : $ man -h
4. history – command line history: $ history

File System

1. l – list information about files: $ l
2. mkdir– makes a directory: $mkdir code
3. cd – changes a directory: $cd code
4. touch – makes empty a file: $ touch file1.txt
5. echo – puts text in a file: $ echo 'Steven Fowler' > file2.txt
6. cat – concatenates files: $ cat file1.txt file2.txt > file3.txt
7. cp – copy files: $ cp -f *.txt backup/
8. rm – remove file or directory: $ rm -f *.txt
9. mv – move files: $ mv backup/* .
10. more – reads a file: $ more file1.txt
11. find – find files: $ find . -name file1.txt
12. grep – find text in file(s): $ grep 'Steve' *.txt

Linux GREP

Where to go from here

Essential Linux Command Line Tools
Why Python is the best development language