Linux Command Line Cheat Sheet
by Dave Child (DaveChild) via cheatography.com/1/cs/49/
Bash Commands
uname -a
Bash Variables
Show system and kernel
head -n1 /etc/issue
mount
env
Show environment
echo $NAME
Output value of $NAME
variable
filesystems
export NAME=value
Set $NAME to value
$PATH
Executable search path
Show your username
$HOME
Home directory
Show manual for
$SHELL
Current shell
date
Show system date
uptime
Show uptime
whoami
man command
cmd1 ; cmd2
variables
Show distribution
Show mounted
Command Lists
Run cmd1 then cmd2
cmd1 && cmd2
Run cmd2 if cmd1 is successful
cmd1 || cmd2
Run cmd2 if cmd1 is not successful
cmd &
Run cmd in a subshell
command
IO Redirection
Bash Shortcuts
CTRL-c
Stop current command
CTRL-z
Sleep program
CTRL-a
Go to start of line
CTRL-e
Go to end of line
CTRL-u
Cut from start of line
CTRL-k
Cut to end of line
CTRL-r
Search history
!!
Repeat last command
!abc
Run last command starting with
abc
!abc:p
Print last command starting with
abc
!$
Last argument of previous
command
ALT-.
Last argument of previous
command
!*
All arguments of previous
command
^abc^123
Run previous command, replacing
abc with 123
cmd < file
Input of cmd from file
cmd1 <(cmd2)
Output of cmd2 as file input to cmd1
cmd > file
Standard output (stdout) of cmd to file
cmd > /dev/null
Discard stdout of cmd
cmd >> file
Append stdout to file
cmd 2> file
Error output (stderr) of cmd to file
cmd 1>&2
stdout to same place as stderr
cmd 2>&1
stderr to same place as stdout
cmd &> file
Every output of cmd to file
cmd refers to a command.
Pipes
cmd1 | cmd2
stdout of cmd1 to cmd2
cmd1 |& cmd2
Directory Operations
pwd
Show current directory
mkdir dir
Make directory dir
cd dir
Change directory to dir
cd ..
Go up a directory
ls
List files
ls Options
-a
Show all (including hidden)
-R
Recursive list
-r
Reverse order
-t
Sort by last modified
-S
Sort by file size
-l
Long listing format
-1
One file per line
-m
Comma-separated output
-Q
Quoted output
Search Files
grep pattern files
Search for pattern in
files
grep -i
Case insensitive
search
grep -r
Recursive search
grep -v
Inverted search
grep -o
Show matched part of
file only
stderr of cmd1 to cmd2
find /dir/ -name name*
Find files starting with
name in dir
By Dave Child (DaveChild)
Published 28th October, 2011.
Sponsored by Readability-Score.com
cheatography.com/davechild/
Last updated 14th January, 2015.
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Linux Command Line Cheat Sheet
by Dave Child (DaveChild) via cheatography.com/1/cs/49/
Search Files (cont)
find /dir/ -user name
find /dir/ -mmin num
Process Management
Screen Shortcuts (cont)
Find files owned by
ps
Show snapshot of processes
CTRL-A
name in dir
top
Show real time processes
kill pid
Kill process with id pid
pkill name
Kill process with name name
killall name
Kill all processes with names
Find files modifed less
than num minutes ago in
dir
whereis command
Find binary / source /
beginning name
manual for command
locate file
Find file (quick search of
system index)
Nano Shortcuts
Activate commands for screen.
CTRL-A c
Create a new instance of terminal.
CTRL-A n
Go to the next instance of terminal.
CTRL-A p
Go to the previous instance of terminal.
Files
File Operations
Ctrl-R
Read file
touch file1
Ctrl-O
Save file
Ctrl-X
Close file
Create file1
CTRL-A "
Show current instances of terminals.
CTRL-A A
Cut and Paste
cat file1 file2
Concatenate files and output
less file1
View and paginate file1
Rename the current instance.
ALT-A
Start marking text
More screen info at:
CTRL-K
Cut marked text or line
http://www.gnu.org/software/screen/
CTRL-U
Paste text
File Permissions
Navigate File
file file1
Get type of file1
cp file1 file2
Copy file1 to file2
mv file1 file2
Move file1 to file2
rm file1
Delete file1
head file1
Show first 10 lines of file1
ALT-/
End of file
CTRL-A
Beginning of line
CTRL-E
End of line
CTRL-C
Show line number
CTRL-_
Go to line number
Show last 10 lines of file1
tail -F file1
Output last lines of file1 as it changes
watch -n 5 'ntpq -p'
Issue the 'ntpq -p' command every 5
seconds and display output
chmod -R 600 folder
Recursively chmod folder to 600
chown user:group file
Change file owner to user and group to
CTRL-W
Find
ALT-W
Find next
CTRL-\
Search and replace
More nano info at:
group
File Permission Numbers
First digit is owner permission, second is group
and third is everyone.
Calculate permission digits by adding numbers
Screen Shortcuts
screen
Start a screen session.
Watch a Command
Change mode of file to 775
Search File
http://www.nano-editor.org/docs.php
tail file1
chmod 775 file
screen -r
below.
4
read (r)
write (w)
execute (x)
Resume a screen session.
screen -list
Show your current screen sessions.
By Dave Child (DaveChild)
Published 28th October, 2011.
Sponsored by Readability-Score.com
cheatography.com/davechild/
Last updated 14th January, 2015.
Measure your website readability!
www.addedbytes.com
Page 2 of 2.
https://readability-score.com
