List for some common Linux commands

List for some common Linux commands:

• A
  • adduser: Add a user to the system
  • addgroup: Add a group to the system
  • alias: Create an alias •
  • apropos: Search Help manual pages (man -k)
  • apt-get: Search for and install software packages (Debian/Ubuntu)
  • aptitude: Search for and install software packages (Debian/Ubuntu)
  • aspell: Spell Checker
  • awk: Find and Replace text, database sort/validate/index
• B
  • basename: Strip directory and suffix from filenames
  • bash: GNU Bourne-Again SHell
  • bc: Arbitrary precision calculator language
  • bg: Send to background
  • break: Exit from a loop •
  • builtin: Run a shell builtin
  • bzip2: Compress or decompress named file(s)
• C
  • cal: Display a calendar
  • case: Conditionally perform a command
  • cat: Display the contents of a file
  • cd: Change Directory
  • cfdisk: Partition table manipulator for Linux
  • chgrp: Change group ownership
  • chmod: Change access permissions
  • chown: Change file owner and group
  • chroot: Run a command with a different root directory
  • chkconfig: System services (runlevel)
  • cksum: Print CRC checksum and byte counts
  • clear: Clear terminal screen
  • cmp: Compare two files
  • comm: Compare two sorted files line by line
  • command: Run a command - ignoring shell functions •
  • continue: Resume the next iteration of a loop •
  • cp: Copy one or more files to another location
  • cron: Daemon to execute scheduled commands
  • crontab: Schedule a command to run at a later time
  • csplit: Split a file into context-determined pieces
  • cut: Divide a file into several parts
• D
  • date: Display or change the date & time
  • dc: Desk Calculator
  • dd: Convert and copy a file, write disk headers, boot records
  • ddrescue: Data recovery tool
  • declare: Declare variables and give them attributes •
  • df: Display free disk space
  • diff: Display the differences between two files
  • diff3: Show differences among three files
  • dig: DNS lookup
  • dir: Briefly list directory contents
  • dircolors: Colour setup for "ls"
  • dirname: Convert a full pathname to just a path
  • dirs: Display list of remembered directories
  • dmesg: Print kernel & driver messages
  • du: Estimate file space usage
• E
  • echo: Display message on screen •
  • egrep: Search file(s) for lines that match an extended expression
  • eject: Eject removable media
  • enable: Enable and disable builtin shell commands •
  • env: Environment variables
  • ethtool: Ethernet card settings
  • eval: Evaluate several commands/arguments
  • exec: Execute a command
  • exit: Exit the shell
  • expect: Automate arbitrary applications accessed over a terminal
  • expand: Convert tabs to spaces
  • export: Set an environment variable
  • expr: Evaluate expressions
• F
  • false: Do nothing, unsuccessfully
  • fdformat: Low-level format a floppy disk
  • fdisk: Partition table manipulator for Linux
  • fg: Send job to foreground
  • fgrep: Search file(s) for lines that match a fixed string
  • file: Determine file type
  • find: Search for files that meet a desired criteria
  • fmt: Reformat paragraph text
  • fold: Wrap text to fit a specified width.
  • for: Expand words, and execute commands
  • format: Format disks or tapes
  • free: Display memory usage
  • fsck: File system consistency check and repair
  • ftp: File Transfer Protocol
  • function: Define Function Macros
  • fuser: Identify/kill the process that is accessing a file
• G
  • gawk: Find and Replace text within file(s)
  • getopts: Parse positional parameters
  • grep: Search file(s) for lines that match a given pattern
  • groups: Print group names a user is in
  • gzip: Compress or decompress named file(s)
• H
  • hash: Remember the full pathname of a name argument
  • head: Output the first part of file(s)
  • help: Display help for a built-in command •
  • history: Command History
  • hostname: Print or set system name
• I
  • id: Print user and group id's
  • if: Conditionally perform a command
  • ifconfig: Configure a network interface
  • ifdown: Stop a network interface
  • ifup: Start a network interface up
  • import: Capture an X server screen and save the image to file
  • install: Copy files and set attributes
• J
  • jobs: List active jobs •
  • join: Join lines on a common field
• K
  • kill: Stop a process from running
  • killall: Kill processes by name
• L
  • less: Display output one screen at a time
  • let: Perform arithmetic on shell variables •
  • ln: Make links between files
  • local: Create variables •
  • locate: Find files
  • logname: Print current login name
  • logout: Exit a login shell •
  • look: Display lines beginning with a given string
  • lpc: Line printer control program
  • lpr: Off line print
  • lprint: Print a file
  • lprintd: Abort a print job
  • lprintq: List the print queue
  • lprm: Remove jobs from the print queue
  • ls: List information about file(s)
  • lsof: List open files
• M
  • make: Recompile a group of programs
  • man: Help manual
  • mkdir: Create new folder(s)
  • mkfifo: Make FIFOs (named pipes)
  • mkisofs: Create an hybrid ISO9660/JOLIET/HFS filesystem
  • mknod: Make block or character special files
  • more: Display output one screen at a time
  • mount: Mount a file system
  • mtools: Manipulate MS-DOS files
  • mtr: Network diagnostics (traceroute/ping)
  • mv: Move or rename files or directories
  • mmv: Mass Move and rename (files)
• N
  • netstat: Networking information
  • nice: Set the priority of a command or job
  • nl: Number lines and write files
  • nohup: Run a command immune to hangups
  • notify-send: Send desktop notifications
  • nslookup: Query Internet name servers interactively
• O
  • open: Open a file in its default application
  • op: Operator access
• P
  • passwd: Modify a user password
  • paste: Merge lines of files
  • pathchk: Check file name portability
  • ping: Test a network connection
  • pkill: Stop processes from running
  • popd: Restore the previous value of the current directory
  • pr: Prepare files for printing
  • printcap: Printer capability database
  • printenv: Print environment variables
  • printf: Format and print data •
  • ps: Process status
  • pushd: Save and then change the current directory
  • pwd: Print Working Directory
• Q
  • quota: Display disk usage and limits
  • quotacheck: Scan a file system for disk usage
  • quotactl: Set disk quotas
• R
  • ram: ram disk device
  • rcp: Copy files between two machines
  • read: Read a line from standard input •
  • readarray: Read from stdin into an array variable •
  • readonly: Mark variables/functions as readonly
  • reboot: Reboot the system
  • rename: Rename files
  • renice: Alter priority of running processes
  • remsync: Synchronize remote files via email
  • return: Exit a shell function
  • rev: Reverse lines of a file
  • rm: Remove files
  • rmdir: Remove folder(s)
  • rsync: Remote file copy (Synchronize file trees)
• S
  • screen: Multiplex terminal, run remote shells via ssh
  • scp: Secure copy (remote file copy)
  • sdiff: Merge two files interactively
  • sed: Stream Editor
  • select: Accept keyboard input
  • seq: Print numeric sequences
  • set: Manipulate shell variables and functions
  • sftp: Secure File Transfer Program
  • shift: Shift positional parameters
  • shopt: Shell Options
  • shutdown: Shutdown or restart linux
  • sleep: Delay for a specified time
  • slocate: Find files
  • sort: Sort text files
  • source: Run commands from a file
  • split: Split a file into fixed-size pieces
  • ssh: Secure Shell client (remote login program)
  • strace: Trace system calls and signals
  • su: Substitute user identity
  • sudo: Execute a command as another user
  • sum: Print a checksum for a file
  • suspend: Suspend execution of this shell •
  • symlink: Make a new name for a file
  • sync: Synchronize data on disk with memory
• T
  • tail: Output the last part of files
  • tar: Tape Archiver
  • tee: Redirect output to multiple files
  • test: Evaluate a conditional expression
  • time: Measure Program running time
  • times: User and system times
  • touch: Change file timestamps
  • top: List processes running on the system
  • traceroute: Trace Route to Host
  • trap: Run a command when a signal is set(bourne)
  • tr: Translate, squeeze, and/or delete characters
  • true: Do nothing, successfully
  • tsort: Topological sort
  • tty: Print filename of terminal on stdin
  • type: Describe a command •
• U
  • ulimit: Limit user resources •
  • umask: Users file creation mask
  • umount: Unmount a device
  • unalias: Remove an alias •
  • uname: Print system information
  • unexpand: Convert spaces to tabs
  • uniq: Uniquify files
  • units: Convert units from one scale to another
  • unset: Remove variable or function names
  • unshar: Unpack shell archive scripts
  • until: Execute commands (until error)
  • useradd: Create new user account
  • usermod: Modify user account
  • users: List users currently logged in
  • uuencode: Encode a binary file
  • uudecode: Decode a file created by uuencode
• V
  • v: Verbosely list directory contents ("ls -l -b")
  • vdir: Verbosely list directory contents ("ls -l -b")
  • vi: Text Editor
  • vmstat: Report virtual memory statistics
• W
  • watch: Execute/display a program periodically
  • wc: Print byte, word, and line counts
  • whereis: Search the user's $path, man pages and source files for a program
  • which: Search the user's $path for a program file
  • while: Execute commands
  • who: Print all usernames currently logged in
  • whoami: Print the current user id and name (`id -un')
  • Wget: Retrieve web pages or files via HTTP, HTTPS or FTP
  • write: Send a message to another user
• X and onwaard
  • xargs: Execute utility, passing constructed argument list(s)
  • xdg-open: Open a file or URL in the user's preferred application.
  • yes: Print a string until interrupted
  • .: Run a command script in the current shell. ### allows you to remark or comment without disturbing the Terminal.