Linux Command Line Cheat Sheet

Bash Commands Bash Variables (cont) Command Lists

uname -a Show system and export NAME=value Set $NAME to value cmd1 ; cmd2
kernel | Run cmd1 then cmd2

$PATH Executable search path

head -n1 /etc/issue Show distribution cmd1 && cmd2
| Run cmd2 if cmd1 is successful
$HOME Home directory
mount Show mounted filesystems
cmd1 || cmd2
$SHELL Current shell | Run cmd2 if cmd1 is not successful
date Show system date

cmd &
uptime Show uptime | Run cmd in a subshell
IO Redirection
whoami Show your username
cmd < file Directory Operations
man command Show manual for command | Input of cmd from file
pwd Show current directory
cmd1 <(cmd2)
| Output of cmd2 as file input to cmd1
mkdir dir Make directory dir
Bash Shortcuts
cmd > file
cd dir Change directory to dir
CTRL-c Stop current command | Standard output (stdout) of cmd to file

cd .. Go up a directory
cmd > /dev/null
CTRL-z Sleep program
| Discard stdout of cmd
ls List files

CTRL-a Go to start of line cmd >> file

| Append stdout to file
CTRL-e Go to end of line ls Options
cmd 2> file
| Error output (stderr) of cmd to file -a Show all (including hidden)
CTRL-u Cut from start of line

cmd 1>&2 -R Recursive list

CTRL-k Cut to end of line | stdout to same place as stderr
-r Reverse order
CTRL-r Search history cmd 2>&1
| stderr to same place as stdout -t Sort by last modified
!! Repeat last command
cmd &> file -S Sort by file size
| Every output of cmd to file
!abc Run last command starting with
abc
-l Long listing format
cmd refers to a command.
!abc:p Print last command starting -1 One file per line
with abc

Pipes -m Comma-separated output

!$ Last argument of previous
command
cmd1 | cmd2
-Q Quoted output
| stdout of cmd1 to cmd2
ALT-. Last argument of previous
command
cmd1 |& cmd2 Search Files
!* All arguments of previous | stderr of cmd1 to cmd2
command grep pattern files Search for pattern in files

^abc^123 Run previous grep -i Case insensitive search

command,replacing abc with File Permissions
123
grep -r Recursive search
chmod 775 file
| Change mode of file to 775
grep -v Inverted search
Bash Variables
chmod -R 600 folder
| Recursively chmod folder to 600 grep -o Show matched part of file
env Show environment variables
only

chown user:group file find /dir/ -name name* Find files starting with
echo $NAME Output value of $NAME variable
| Change file owner to user and group to group name in dir
 Linux Command Line Cheat Sheet
Search Files (cont) Process Management Screen Shortcuts (cont)

find /dir/ -user name Find files owned by name in ps Show snapshot of processes screen
dir | Start a screen session
top Show real time processes
find /dir/ -mmin num Find files modified less than
num minutes ago in dir screen -r
kill pid Kill process with id pid
| Resume a screen session.

whereis command Find binary / source / pkill name Kill process with name name
manual for command
screen -list
killall name Kill all processes with names | Show your current screen sessions.
locate file Find file (quick search of beginning name
system index)
CTRL-A
Nano Shortcuts | Activate commands for screen.

File Operations
Files
CTRL-A c
touch file1 | Create a new instance of terminal.
| Create file1 Ctrl-R Read file

cat file1 file2 Ctrl-O Save file CTRL-A n

| Concatenate files and output | Go to the next instance of terminal.
Ctrl-X Close file

less file1
Cut and Paste CTRL-A p
| View and paginate file1
| Go to the previous instance of terminal.
ALT-A Start marking text
file file1
| Get type of file1 CTRL-A "
CTRL-K Cut marked text or line | Show current instances of terminals.
cp file1 file2
| Copy file1 to file2 CTRL-U Paste text
CTRL-A A
Navigate File | Rename the current instance.
mv file1 file2
| Move file1 to file2
ALT-/ End of file
More screen info at:
rm file1 http://www.gnu.org/software/screen/
| Delete file1 CTRL-A Beginning of line

CTRL-E End of line

head file1
| Show first 10 lines of file1 File Permission Numbers
CTRL-C Show line number
First digit is owner permission, second is
tail file1
CTRL-_ Go to line number group and third is everyone.
| Show last 10 lines of file1

Search File Calculate permission digits by adding

tail -F file1
| Output last lines of file1 as it changes numbers below.
CTRL-W Find

4 read (r)
ALT-W Find next
Watch a Command
CTRL-\ Search and replace 2 write (w)
watch -n 5 'ntpq -p'
| Issue the 'ntpq -p' command every 5
| seconds and display output More nano info at: 1 execute (x)
http://www.nano-editor.org/docs.php

Linux Command Line Cheat Sheet by DaveChild is licensed under CC 2.0