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Unix and Shell Scripting

The document provides an overview of basic UNIX/Linux commands, including their usage and options. Key commands covered include 'ls' for listing directory contents, 'man' for accessing manual pages, 'cd' for changing directories, and 'mkdir' for creating new directories. Additional commands such as 'cal', 'date', and 'cat' are also mentioned, along with some useful bonus commands for terminal operations.

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Amitendu Bikash Dhusiya
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5 views6 pages

Unix and Shell Scripting

The document provides an overview of basic UNIX/Linux commands, including their usage and options. Key commands covered include 'ls' for listing directory contents, 'man' for accessing manual pages, 'cd' for changing directories, and 'mkdir' for creating new directories. Additional commands such as 'cal', 'date', and 'cat' are also mentioned, along with some useful bonus commands for terminal operations.

Uploaded by

Amitendu Bikash Dhusiya
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

UNIX AND SHELL SCRIPTING

UNIX / LINUX BASIC COMMANDS


1. ls – List Directory Contents
The ls command is used to display the contents of a directory (files and folders).

Basic Usage

ls

Lists files and directories in the current working directory.

Common Options with ls

Command Meaning
ls -l Long listing format
ls -a Shows hidden files
ls -d Lists directories only
ls -i Shows inode numbers
ls -r Reverse order listing
ls -s Shows file sizes

ls -l (Long Listing Format)

ls -l

This displays details in the following format:

drwxr-xr-x 2 user group 4096 Feb 4 10:00 myfolder


-rw-r--r-- 1 user group 1024 Feb 4 10:01 [Link]

Breakdown of first column:


Symbol Meaning
d Directory
- Regular file
r Read permission
w Write permission
x Execute permission

Hidden Files ( . dot files )


In Linux, any file starting with . is hidden.

Example:

ls -a

Might show:

. .. .bashrc .profile [Link]

Name Meaning
. Current directory
.. Parent directory

ls -i (Inode Number)

ls -i

Every file in Linux has a unique inode number, which identifies it internally.

2. man – Manual Command


man shows the official documentation of a command.

Example:
man ls

You can navigate using:

Enter → Next line


Space → Next page
q → Quit manual

3. cd – Change Directory
Used to move between directories.

Syntax

cd path_of_directory

Types of Path
(A) Absolute Path

Starts from root /

Example:

cd /home/student/Downloads

(B) Relative Path


Starts from current directory.

Example:

cd Downloads

Special Symbols

Symbol Meaning
. Current directory
.. Parent directory
Example:

cd ..

This moves one level up.

4. pwd – Present Working Directory


Shows your current location in the filesystem.

pwd

Example output:

/home/student/Downloads

5. mkdir – Make Directory


Creates a new folder.

Basic Syntax

mkdir directory_name

Example:

mkdir newdir

Create inside another folder:

mkdir ./Downloads/newdir

Create multiple directories at once:

mkdir dir1 dir2 dir3


6. cal – Calendar
Displays system calendar.

cal

Show specific month:

cal 2025

Show specific month and year:

cal 2 2025

7. date – Show Current Date & Time

date

Example output:

Tue Feb 4 13:25:10 IST 2025

8. cat – Display File Content


Used to view file content.

Example:

cat [Link]

If used without file:


cat

It waits for input.


To exit press:

Ctrl + D

9. poweroff – Shut Down System

poweroff

Alternative commands:

shutdown now
halt

Additional Useful Commands (Bonus for your notes)

Command Purpose
clear Clears terminal screen
touch [Link] Creates empty file
rm [Link] Deletes file
rmdir folder Deletes empty directory
whoami Shows current user
uname -a Shows system info

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