Computer Science Department

Basic UNIX Commands

  • apropos <keyword> Locate a command based on a keyword.

    Examples:

    apropos printer Display a list of all UNIX commands whose description contains the word "printer" along with a description of what each command does.
    apropos 'change directories' Display a list of all UNIX commands whose description contains the phrase "change directories".

  • cd <pathname> Change directory. If no pathname is given, change to your home directory.

    Examples:

    cd lab1 Change to subdirectory called lab1.
    cd Change to top of your home directory.
    cd .. Change to the parent of the current directory.
    cd ~/lab1/garbage Change to the directory called lab1/garbage in your home directory.

  • chkquota Display printer quota and monthly usage so far.

     

  • clear Clear the xterm window.

     

  • cp <src_pathname> <dest_pathname> Copy one or more files.

    Examples:

    cp file1.cc file2.cc Make a copy of the file file1.cc and call the copy file2.cc.
    cp proj.cc ~/projects/project1 Make a copy of the file proj.cc and put the copy in the projects/project1 directory of your home directory.
    cp -r /cs141/lab2 ~/labs Copy the directory /cs141/lab2 and all of its contents, treating directories as if they were regular files, into the directory ~/labs.

  • lpq Display the contents of the printer queue with job numbers.

     

  • lpr <pathname> Send a job to the printer.

     

  • lprm <job #> Remove a job from the printer queue.

     

  • ls <optional pathname> List the contents of directories.

    Examples:

    ls List the contents of the current directory.
    ls lab1 List the contents of the lab1 directory.
    ls program.cc Is the file program.cc in the current directory?
    ls *.cc List all of the files in the current directory ending with .cc.

  • man <command> Display reference manual pages.

    Example:

    man ls Display information about the ls command including a description and list of options.

  • mkdir <pathname> Make a new directory.

    Example:

    mkdir lab2 Make a subdirectory called lab2 in the current working directory.

  • more <pathname> Browse or page through a text file.

     

  • mv <src_pathname> <dest_pathname> Move or rename files.

    Examples:

    mv file1.cc file2.cc Rename the file file1.cc as file2.cc.
    mv *.cc proj1 Move all of the files ending in .cc into the proj1 directory.

  • pwd Display the pathname of the current working directory.

     

  • quota -v Display the disk quota and usage.

     

  • rm <pathname> Remove files.

    Example:

    rm file1.cc Remove the file file1.cc from the current directory.

  • rmdir <pathname> Remove directories. (Before a directory can be removed, it must be empty.)

    Example:

    rmdir projects Remove the subdirectory called projects from the current directory.