3/12/2018 List of Unix commands - Wikipedia

List of Unix commands

This is a list of Unix commands as specified by IEEE Std 1003.1-2008, which is part of the Single UNIX Specification
(SUS). These commands can be found on Unix operating systems and most Unix-like operating systems.

Contents
List
See also
Footnotes
External links

List

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IEEE Std 1003.1-2008 utilities

Status (Option First
Name Category Description
code) appeared
admin SCCS Optional (XSI) Create and administer SCCS files PWB UNIX
alias Misc Mandatory Define or display aliases
Version 1
ar Misc Mandatory Create and maintain library archives
AT&T UNIX
asa Text processing Optional (FR) Interpret carriage-control characters System V
Process Version 7
at Mandatory Execute commands at a later time
management AT&T UNIX
Pattern scanning and processing Version 7
awk Text processing Mandatory
language AT&T UNIX
Return non-directory portion of a Version 7
basename Filesystem Mandatory
pathname; see also dirname AT&T UNIX
Process Schedule commands to be executed in
batch Mandatory
management a batch queue
Version 6
bc Misc Mandatory Arbitrary-precision arithmetic language
AT&T UNIX
Process
bg Optional (UP) Run jobs in the background
management
IEEE Std
cc/c99 C programming Optional (CD) Compile standard C programs
1003.1-2001
Version 5
cal Misc Optional (XSI) Print a calendar
AT&T UNIX
Version 1
cat Filesystem Mandatory Concatenate and print files
AT&T UNIX
Version 6
cd Filesystem Mandatory Change the working directory
AT&T UNIX
cflow C programming Optional (XSI) Generate a C-language call graph System V
chgrp Filesystem Mandatory Change the file group ownership PWB UNIX
Change the file Version 1
chmod Filesystem Mandatory
modes/attributes/permissions AT&T UNIX
Version 1
chown Filesystem Mandatory Change the file ownership
AT&T UNIX
cksum Filesystem Mandatory Write file checksums and sizes 4.4BSD
Version 1
cmp Filesystem Mandatory Compare two files; see also diff
AT&T UNIX
Select or reject lines common to two Version 4
comm Text processing Mandatory
files AT&T UNIX
command Shell programming Mandatory Execute a simple command
compress Filesystem Optional (XSI) Compress data 4.3BSD
Version 1
cp Filesystem Mandatory Copy files
AT&T UNIX
crontab Misc Mandatory Schedule periodic background work System V
csplit Text processing Mandatory Split files based on context PWB UNIX
ctags C programming Optional (SD) Create a tags file 3BSD

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Status (Option First

Name Category Description
code) appeared
Cut out selected fields of each line of a
cut Text processing Mandatory System III
file
Generate a C-language program cross-
cxref C programming Optional (XSI) System V
reference table
Version 1
date Misc Mandatory Display the date and time
AT&T UNIX
Version 5
dd Filesystem Mandatory Convert and copy a file
AT&T UNIX
delta SCCS Optional (XSI) Make a delta (change) to an SCCS file PWB UNIX
Version 1
df Filesystem Mandatory Report free disk space
AT&T UNIX
Version 5
diff Text processing Mandatory Compare two files; see also cmp
AT&T UNIX
Return the directory portion of a
dirname Filesystem Mandatory System III
pathname; see also basename
Version 1
du Filesystem Mandatory Estimate file space usage
AT&T UNIX
Version 2
echo Shell programming Mandatory Write arguments to standard output
AT&T UNIX
Version 1
ed Text processing Mandatory The standard text editor
AT&T UNIX
Set the environment for command
env Misc Mandatory System III
invocation
ex Text processing Optional (XSI) Text editor 1BSD
expand Text processing Mandatory Convert tabs to spaces 3BSD
Version 7
expr Shell programming Mandatory Evaluate arguments as an expression
AT&T UNIX
Version 7
false Shell programming Mandatory Return false value
AT&T UNIX
fc Misc Optional (UP) Process the command history list
Process
fg Optional (UP) Run jobs in the foreground
management
Version 4
file Filesystem Mandatory Determine file type
AT&T UNIX
Version 1
find Filesystem Mandatory Find files
AT&T UNIX
fold Text processing Mandatory Filter for folding lines 1BSD
FORTRAN77
fort77 Obscalescent (FD) FORTRAN compiler XPG4
programming
Process List process IDs of all processes that
fuser Optional (XSI) System V
management have one or more files open
gencat Misc Mandatory Generate a formatted message catalog
get SCCS Optional (XSI) Get a version of an SCCS file PWB UNIX
getconf Misc Mandatory Get configuration values
getopts Shell programming Mandatory Parse utility options

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Status (Option First

Name Category Description
code) appeared
Version 4
grep Misc Mandatory Search text for a pattern
AT&T UNIX
hash Misc Mandatory hash database access method
head Text processing Mandatory Copy the first part of files PWB UNIX
iconv Text processing Mandatory Codeset conversion HP-UX
id Misc Mandatory Return user identity System V
Remove a message queue,
ipcrm Misc Optional (XSI) semaphore set, or shared memory System V
segment identifier
Report interprocess communication
ipcs Misc Optional (XSI) System V
facilities status
Process Display status of jobs in the current
jobs Optional (UP)
management session
Merges two sorted text files based on Version 7
join Text processing Mandatory
the presence of a common field AT&T UNIX
Process Version 4
kill Mandatory Terminate or signal processes
management AT&T UNIX
Version 7
lex C programming Optional (CD) Generate programs for lexical tasks
AT&T UNIX
Version 1
link Filesystem Optional (XSI) Create a hard link to a file
AT&T UNIX
Version 1
ln Filesystem Mandatory Link files
AT&T UNIX
locale Misc Mandatory Get locale-specific information
localedef Misc Mandatory Define locale environment
logger Shell programming Mandatory Log messages 4.3BSD
logname Misc Mandatory Return the user's login name 4.4BSD
lp Text processing Mandatory Send files to a printer System V
Version 1
ls Filesystem Mandatory List directory contents
AT&T UNIX
m4 Misc Mandatory Macro processor PWB UNIX
Version 1
mailx Misc Mandatory Process messages
AT&T UNIX
Maintain, update, and regenerate
make Programming Optional (SD) PWB UNIX
groups of programs
Version 2
man Misc Mandatory Display system documentation
AT&T UNIX
Version 1
mesg Misc Mandatory Permit or deny messages
AT&T UNIX
Version 1
mkdir Filesystem Mandatory Make directories
AT&T UNIX
mkfifo Filesystem Mandatory Make FIFO special files 4.4BSD
more Text processing Optional (UP) Display files on a page-by-page basis 3BSD
Version 1
mv Filesystem Mandatory Move or rename files
AT&T UNIX

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Status (Option First

Name Category Description
code) appeared
Change to a new group (functionaliy Version 6
newgrp Misc Mandatory
similar to sg[1]) AT&T UNIX

Process Invoke a utility with an altered nice Version 4

nice Mandatory
management value AT&T UNIX
nl Text processing Optional (XSI) Line numbering filter System III
Version 1
nm C programming Optional (SD, XSI) Write the name list of an object file
AT&T UNIX
Process Version 4
nohup Mandatory Invoke a utility immune to hangups
management AT&T UNIX
Version 1
od Misc Mandatory Dump files in various formats
AT&T UNIX
Merge corresponding or subsequent Version 32V
paste Text processing Mandatory
lines of files AT&T UNIX
patch Text processing Mandatory Apply changes to files 4.3BSD
pathchk Filesystem Mandatory Check pathnames
pax Misc Mandatory Portable archive interchange 4.4BSD
Version 1
pr Text processing Mandatory Print files
AT&T UNIX
4.3BSD-
printf Shell programming Mandatory Write formatted output
Reno
prs SCCS Optional (XSI) Print an SCCS file PWB UNIX
Process Version 4
ps Mandatory Report process status
management AT&T UNIX
print working directory - Return working Version 5
pwd Filesystem Mandatory
directory name AT&T UNIX
qalter Batch utilities Obscalescent (BE) Alter batch job
qdel Batch utilities Obscalescent (BE) Delete batch jobs
qhold Batch utilities Obscalescent (BE) Hold batch jobs
qmove Batch utilities Obscalescent (BE) Move batch jobs
qmsg Batch utilities Obscalescent (BE) Send message to batch jobs
qrerun Batch utilities Obscalescent (BE) Rerun batch jobs
qrls Batch utilities Obscalescent (BE) Release batch jobs
qselect Batch utilities Obscalescent (BE) Select batch jobs
qsig Batch utilities Obscalescent (BE) Signal batch jobs
qstat Batch utilities Obscalescent (BE) Show status of batch jobs
qsub Batch utilities Obscalescent (BE) Submit a script
read Shell programming Mandatory Read a line from standard input
Process
renice Mandatory Set nice values of running processes 4BSD
management
Version 1
rm Filesystem Mandatory Remove directory entries
AT&T UNIX
rmdel SCCS Optional (XSI) Remove a delta from an SCCS file PWB UNIX
Version 1
rmdir Filesystem Mandatory Remove directories, if they are empty.
AT&T UNIX
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Status (Option First

Name Category Description
code) appeared
sact SCCS Optional (XSI) Print current SCCS file-editing activity System III
sccs SCCS Optional (XSI) Front end for the SCCS subsystem 4.3BSD
Version 7
sed Text processing Mandatory Stream editor
AT&T UNIX
Version 7
AT&T UNIX
(in earlier
versions, sh
Shell, the standard command language
sh Shell programming Mandatory was either
interpreter
the
Thompson
shell or the
PWB shell)
Version 4
sleep Shell programming Mandatory Suspend execution for an interval
AT&T UNIX
Sort, merge, or sequence check text Version 1
sort Text processing Mandatory
files AT&T UNIX
Version 3
split Misc Mandatory Split files into pieces
AT&T UNIX
strings C programming Mandatory Find printable strings in files 2BSD
Remove unnecessary information from Version 1
strip C programming Optional (SD)
executable files AT&T UNIX
Version 2
stty Misc Mandatory Set the options for a terminal
AT&T UNIX
tabs Misc Mandatory Set terminal tabs PWB UNIX
tail Text processing Mandatory Copy the last part of a file PWB UNIX
talk Misc Optional (UP) Talk to another user 4.2BSD
Version 5
tee Shell programming Mandatory Duplicate the standard output
AT&T UNIX
Version 7
test Shell programming Mandatory Evaluate expression
AT&T UNIX
Process Version 3
time Mandatory Time a simple command
management AT&T UNIX
Change file access and modification Version 7
touch Filesystem Mandatory
times AT&T UNIX
tput Misc Mandatory Change terminal characteristics System V
Version 4
tr Text processing Mandatory Translate characters
AT&T UNIX
Version 7
true Shell programming Mandatory Return true value
AT&T UNIX
Version 7
tsort Text processing Mandatory Topological sort
AT&T UNIX
Version 1
tty Misc Mandatory Return user's terminal name
AT&T UNIX
Displays how a name would be
type Misc Optional (XSI)
interpreted if used as a command
ulimit Misc Optional (XSI) Set or report file size limit
umask Misc Mandatory Get or set the file mode creation mask System III

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Status (Option First

Name Category Description
code) appeared
unalias Misc Mandatory Remove alias definitions
uname Misc Mandatory Return system name PWB UNIX
uncompress Misc Optional (XSI) Expand compressed data 4.3BSD
unexpand Text processing Mandatory Convert spaces to tabs 3BSD
unget SCCS Optional (XSI) Undo a previous get of an SCCS file System III
Report or filter out repeated lines in a Version 3
uniq Text processing Mandatory
file AT&T UNIX
Version 1
unlink Filesystem Optional (XSI) Call the unlink function
AT&T UNIX
Version 7
uucp Network Optional (UU) System-to-system copy
AT&T UNIX
uudecode Network Mandatory Decode a binary file 4BSD
uuencode Network Mandatory Encode a binary file 4BSD
uustat Network Optional (UU) uucp status inquiry and job control System III
Process Version 7
uux Optional (UU) Remote command execution
management AT&T UNIX
val SCCS Optional (XSI) Validate SCCS files System III
vi Text processing Optional (UP) Screen-oriented (visual) display editor 1BSD
Process Version 4
wait Mandatory Await process completion
management AT&T UNIX
Version 1
wc Text processing Mandatory Line, word and byte or character count
AT&T UNIX
what SCCS Optional (XSI) Identify SCCS files PWB UNIX
System Version 1
who Mandatory Display who is on the system
administration AT&T UNIX
Version 1
write Misc Mandatory Write to another user's terminal
AT&T UNIX
Construct argument lists and invoke
xargs Shell programming Mandatory PWB UNIX
utility
yacc C programming Optional (CD) Yet another compiler compiler PWB UNIX
zcat Text processing Optional (XSI) Expand and concatenate data 4.3BSD

See also
List of GNU Core Utilities commands
List of GNOME applications
List of GNU packages
List of KDE applications
List of Unix daemons
List of web browsers for Unix and Unix-like operating systems
Unix philosophy
util-linux

Footnotes

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1. Stanfield, Vicki (2006). Linux System Administration (https://books.google.com/books?id=97nhEE7uqV0C). Craig

Hunt Linux Library. Roderick W. Smith (2 ed.). John Wiley & Sons. p. 152. ISBN 9780782152203. Retrieved
2012-11-27. "The command sg is frequently a synonym for newgrp."

External links
IEEE Std 1003.1,2004 specifications (http://opengroup.org/onlinepubs/000095399/)
IEEE Std 1003.1,2008 specifications (http://opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/)
Rosetta Stone For *Nix (http://bhami.com/rosetta.html) – configurable list of equivalent programs for *nix systems.
The Unix Acronym List (http://roesler-ac.de/wolfram/acro/index.htm) – explains the names of many Unix
commands.
The UNIX System Homepage (http://unix.org/)

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