Linux, often associated with being a complex operating system primarily used by developers, may not necessarily fit that description entirely. While it can initially appear challenging for beginners, once you immerse yourself in the Linux world, you may find it difficult to return to your previous Windows systems. The power of Linux commands in controlling your PC, coupled with their clean user interface, can make it hard to switch back to older operating systems. If you're a developer, you can likely relate to the advantages and appeal of Linux.
To support developers and beginners alike, we have created a comprehensive Linux/Unix command line cheat sheet. This cheat sheet covers all the basic and advanced commands, including file and directory commands, file permission commands, file compression and archiving, process management, system information, networking, and more with proper examples and descriptions. In addition to that we provide all the most used Linux Shortcut which includes Bash shortcuts, Nano shortcuts, VI & Vim Shortcuts Commands. It provides a solid foundation on Linux OS commands, as well as insights into practical applications.
By the end of this cheat sheet, you will have a basic understanding of Linux/Unix Commands and how it makes development easy for developers.
Linux Commands Cheat SheetWhat is Linux?
Linux is an open-source UNIX-like operating system (OS). An operating system is a software that directly manages a system’s hardware and resources, like CPU, memory, and storage. OS acts as a GUI through which user can communicate with the computer. The OS sits between applications and hardware and makes the connections between all of your software and the physical resources that do the work.
Linux Commands List - Table of ContentBasic Linux Commands with Examples
- File and Directory Operations Commands
- File Permission Commands
- File Compression and Archiving Commands
- Process Management Commands
- System Information Commands
- Networking Commands
- IO Redirection Commands
- Environment Variable Commands
- User Management Commands
- Shortcuts Commands List
- FAQs on Linux Commands Cheat Sheet
In this Linux cheat sheet, we will cover all the most important Linux commands, from the basics to the advanced. We will also provide some tips on how to practice and learn Linux commands. This cheat sheet is useful for Beginners and Experience professionals.
1. File and Directory Operations CommandsFile and directory operations are fundamental in working with the Linux operating system. Here are some commonly used File and Directory Operations commands:
Command
Description
Options
Examples
ls List files and directories.File permissions on Linux and Unix systems control access to files and directories. There are three basic permissions: read, write, and execute. Each permission can be granted or denied to three different categories of users: the owner of the file, the members of the file's group, and everyone else.
Here are some file permission commands:
Command
Description
Options
Examples
chmod Change file permissions.Here are some file compression and archiving commands in Linux:
Commands
Description
Options
Examples
tar Create or extract archive files.In Linux, process management commands allow you to monitor and control running processes on the system. Here are some commonly used process management commands:
Commands
Description
Options
Examples
ps Display running processes.In Linux, there are several commands available to gather system information. Here are some commonly used system information commands:
sudCommand
Description
Options
Examples
uname Print system information.In Linux, there are several networking commands available to manage and troubleshoot network connections. Here are some commonly used networking commands:
Command
Description
Examples
ifconfig Display network interface information.In Linux, IO (Input/Output) redirection commands are used to redirect the standard input, output, and error streams of commands and processes. Here are some commonly used IO redirection commands:
Command
Description
cmd < file Input of cmd is taken from file. cmd > file Standard output (stdout) of cmd is redirected to file. cmd 2> file Error output (stderr) of cmd is redirected to file. cmd 2>&1 stderr is redirected to the same place as stdout. cmd1 <(cmd2) Output of cmd2 is used as the input file for cmd1. cmd > /dev/null Discards the stdout of cmd by sending it to the null device. cmd &> file Every output of cmd is redirected to file. cmd 1>&2 stdout is redirected to the same place as stderr. cmd >> file Appends the stdout of cmd to file. 8. Environment Variable CommandsIn Linux, environment variables are used to store configuration settings, system information, and other variables that can be accessed by processes and shell scripts. Here are some commonly used environment variable commands:
Command
Description
export VARIABLE_NAME=value Sets the value of an environment variable. echo $VARIABLE_NAME Displays the value of a specific environment variable. env Lists all environment variables currently set in the system. unset VARIABLE_NAME Unsets or removes an environment variable. export -p Shows a list of all currently exported environment variables. env VAR1=value COMMAND Sets the value of an environment variable for a specific command. printenv Displays the values of all environment variables. 9. User Management CommandsIn Linux, user management commands allow you to create, modify, and manage user accounts on the system. Here are some commonly used user management commands:
Command
Description
who Show who is currently logged in. sudo adduser username Create a new user account on the system with the specified username. finger Display information about all the users currently logged into the system, including their usernames, login time, and terminal. sudo deluser USER GROUPNAME Remove the specified user from the specified group. last Show the recent login history of users. finger username Provide information about the specified user, including their username, real name, terminal, idle time, and login time. sudo userdel -r username Delete the specified user account from the system, including their home directory and associated files. The -r option ensures the removal of the user's files. sudo passwd -l username Lock the password of the specified user account, preventing the user from logging in. su - username Switch to another user account with the user's environment. sudo usermod -a -G GROUPNAME USERNAME Add an existing user to the specified group. The user is added to the group without removing them from their current groups. 10. Shortcuts CommandsThere are many shortcuts commands in Linux that can help you be more productive. Here are a few of the most common ones:
10.1: Bash Shortcuts Commands: Navigation Description Editing Description History Description Ctrl + A Move to the beginning of the line. Ctrl + U Cut/delete from the cursor position to the beginning of the line. Ctrl + R Search command history (reverse search). Ctrl + E Move to the end of the line. Ctrl + K Cut/delete from the cursor position to the end of the line. Ctrl + G Escape from history search mode. Ctrl + B Move back one character. Ctrl + W Cut/delete the word before the cursor. Ctrl + P Go to the previous command in history. Ctrl + F Move forward one character. Ctrl + Y Paste the last cut text. Ctrl + N Go to the next command in history. Alt + B Move back one word Ctrl + L Clear the screen. Ctrl + C Terminate the current command. Alt + F Move forward one word. 10.2: Nano Shortcuts Commands: File Operations Description Navigation Description Editing Description Search and Replace Description Ctrl + O Save the file. Ctrl + Y Scroll up one page. Ctrl + K Cut/delete from the cursor position to the end of the line. Ctrl + W Search for a string in the text. Ctrl + X Exit Nano (prompt to save if modified). Ctrl + V Scroll down one page. Ctrl + U Uncut/restore the last cut text. Alt + W Search and replace a string in the text. Ctrl + R Read a file into the current buffer. Alt + \ Go to a specific line number. Ctrl + 6 Mark a block of text for copying or cutting. Alt + R Repeat the last search. Ctrl + J Justify the current paragraph. Alt + , Go to the beginning of the current line. Ctrl + K Cut/delete the marked block of text. Alt + . Go to the end of the current line. Alt + 6 Copy the marked block of text. 10.3: VI Shortcuts Commands: Command Description cw Change the current word. Deletes from the cursor position to the end of the current word and switches to insert mode. dd Delete the current line. x Delete the character under the cursor. R Enter replace mode. Overwrites characters starting from the cursor position until you press the Escape key. o Insert a new line below the current line and switch to insert mode. u Undo the last change. s Substitute the character under the cursor and switch to insert mode. dw Delete from the cursor position to the beginning of the next word. D Delete from the cursor position to the end of the line. 4dw Delete the next four words from the cursor position. A Switch to insert mode at the end of the current line. S Delete the current line and switch to insert mode. r Replace the character under the cursor with a new character entered from the keyboard. i Switch to insert mode before the cursor. 3dd Delete the current line and the two lines below it. ESC Exit from insert or command-line mode and return to command mode. U Restore the current line to its original state before any changes were made. ~ Switch the case of the character under the cursor. a Switch to insert mode after the cursor. C Delete from the cursor position to the end of the line and switch to insert mode. 10.4: Vim Shortcuts Commands: Normal Mode Description Command Mode Description Visual Mode Description i Enter insert mode at the current cursor position. :w Save the file. v Enter visual mode to select text. x Delete the character under the cursor. :q Quit Vim. y Copy the selected text. dd Delete the current line. :q! Quit Vim without saving changes. d Delete the selected text. yy Copy the current line.:wq
or
:x
Save and quit Vim. p Paste the copied or deleted text. p Paste the copied or deleted text below the current line. :s/old/new/g Replace all occurrences of "old" with "new" in the file. u Undo the last change.:set nu
or
:set number
Display line numbers. Ctrl + R Redo the last undo. ConclusionIn conclusion, Linux is a widely used operating system for development, and as a developer, you should have knowledge of Linux and its basic commands. In this Cheat Sheet, we covered all commands like creating directories, file compression and archiving, process management, system information, networking and more. In addition to that, this Linux Cheat Sheet is organized and categorized, making it easy for developers to quickly find the commands they need for specific use cases. By utilizing this resource, developers can enhance their productivity and efficiency in working with Linux, leading to smoother and more successful development projects.
PS. Don't miss our other Python cheat sheet for data science that covers Scikit-Learn, Bokeh, Pandas and Python basics.
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