Beginning Linux commands

Published: 5 July 2004

A table of commands that were useful to me when I first began using Linux. Note that all of these may not apply to your particular distribution, configuration, etc.

Command Purpose
adduser USERNAME Create a new user
alias quit='exit' Be able to type quit and accomplish the same thing as exit
Ctrl-Alt-FUNCTION_KEY Switch consoles
apt-cache search PROGRAM Find a particular program and its spec.s
apt-get clean Clears out retrieved package files, frees disk space
apt-get dist-upgrade Updates everything
apt-get install PROGRAM
--fix-broken
--fix-missing		 Install PROGRAM
Fix the broken thing
Pick up where you left off
apt-get remove PROGRAM Uninstalls PROGRAM
apt-get update Do before running apt-get dist-upgrade
aumix A tool to adjust volume
chmod NUMBER FILE Change permissions on FILE
depmod MODULE Lists the dependencies for MODULE
df -h Lists partitions and their sizes, how much of them has been used, and how much space is left on each
du -h Shows how much space has been used in the current directory
free -m Lists the total mem./swap free/total/used/etc. in megabytes
groups Lists the groups the current user is in
insmod Add a module
kill -9 PID If a program has gotten out of control, run ps aux to find out its PID (second column); then, use this command to end that program
ln -s SOURCE DESTINATION Link something symbolically
lpr -P PRINTER FILE Print FILE with PRINTER
ls Lists the files in the current directory
ls -al Lists the files in the current directory; shows “hidden” files and more information
lsmod Lists the current active modules
man PROGRAM Displays a manual for PROGRAM
modprobe MODULE Activates MODULE
mount WHAT WHERE Mount WHAT at location WHERE
nslookup URL Finds an IP address for URL
passwd USER Changes the password for USER
ps aux Lists all running processes
rmmod MODULE Remove MODULE if it is active
rpm --test -Uvh RPM Test RPM for errors
rpm -Uvh RPM Install RPM
startx Start an X session
su Become root
su USER Become USER
shutdown -r now Reboot computer
shutdown -h now Shut off computer
tar jxvf FILE Decompress a .tar.bz2 file
tar zxvf FILE Decompress a .tar.gz file
tar zcvf FILENAME.tar.gz STUFF Create a .tar.gz archive called FILENAME.tar.gz of STUFF
top Displays a list of processes & CPU/memory usage
umount DIRECTORY Unmount DIRECTORY
xv -root -rmode 9 -quit IMAGE Make IMAGE your desktop wallpaper
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  1. By 3till7.net :: beginning Linux guide on 21 December 2005 at 1:23 PM

    [...] nks. http://www.edge-op.org/grouch/notes.html – “Notes and tips for beginning in Linux” http://www.3till7.net/2004/07/05/beginning-linux-commands/ – My dated but still sort of relevant beginning commands list. Command-Line Interface Begi [...]

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