10 Essential Linux Commands

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The following outlines 10 Essential Linux Commands every IT professional should know.

Linux is everywhere, over 70% of the world's servers run on Linux. Linux runs on servers, networking equipment, IoT devices, embedded systems, mobile phones, etc. Linux is all over the place.

For IT professionals, having a strong command-line foundation is essential and beneficial depending on what circumstances are encountered. In this post, I'll share 10 fundamental Linux commands that every IT pro should know and why they matter.


1. pwd - Print Working Directory

What it does: Shows where you are in the filesystem.

pwd.png"

2. ls - List Files and Directories

What it does: Lists the contents of the current directory.

ls.png

3. cd - Change Directory

What it does: Moves between directories.

cd.png

4. mkdir - Make Directory

What it does: Creates new folders.

mkdirbackups.png

5. touch - Create an Empty File

What it does: Quickly makes an empty file or updates its timestamp.

mkdirtouch2.png

6. cat - Concatenate and Display File Contents

What it does: Displayst the contents of files.

cat.png

7. grep - Search Inside Files

What it does: Searches for patterns in text files.

grep.png

8. chmod - Change File Permissions

What it does: Adjusts file read/write/execute permissions.

chmod.png

9. Chown - Change File Ownership

What it does: Changes the user and group ownership of a file.

chown.png

10. man - Manual Pages

What it does: Display help documentation for any command.

man.png man2.png




Mastering these commands builds a foundation for everything else in Linux. They're generally the first set of tools you start out with when navigating the file system of a Linux Unix-like system.

What are some of your favorite Linux commands?

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