The Linux Command Line Interface -- System Navigation Tutorial [Part 1]

The linux terminal is a tool that can very easily simplify a lot of different tasks.

I'll be going over 3 system navigation tools, as well as the linux file system, though you'll need to open the terminal first.

Like so:

The key-bindings, distro-to-distro might be different. But on ubuntu it is ctrl+alt+T, the keybinding in awesomewm is actually mod4 + enter [Windowskey-Enter], and that is distro wide.

The Linux File System

---

The linux file system is a bit like an up-side down tree. It is universal in every linux distro.

A bit like this:

A bit more embedded details:

It is a hierarchy system of directories or "folders" as a windows user might term it. Though it doesn't have a C:\ for the top of all folders inside of the computer, instead, it has / [pronounced root but don't be confused by /root or the root user folder]. When people say "root" they're referring to what is known a "super user" or the highest system administrator imaginable on the system which is why protecting the root password is important. Dot files [.foo, .bar for example] are hidden files that can only be seen by using a specific option with a command. Options change the basic function or behaviour of the command in and of itself as we'll soon learn.

Click here to learn more about the linux file system.

Linux Commands

---

Commands in the CLI that come with bash, typically work like this:

[COMMAND] [OPTIONS] [ARGUMENTS]

For example:
ls -a /usr/bin

This will show all folders and all dot folders [like .foo] inside of the /usr/bin folder. Options will usually always have a dash (-) in front of them unless it is explicitly told as otherwise. You can use more than one option in a fashion such as:

ls -a -t /usr/bin

This will show all of the things inside of the folder according to their modification date. But that's not all. You can also combine options to form a "super option".

ls -at /usr/bin

 
ls

---

This is one of the most useful commands that you'll ever use. "ls" stands for List, which means to list all of the files in the directory. Try it out for yourself like in the image below.

This command is useful because it enables us to see what is inside any folder at any given time that the prompt is available and as a result allows us to see what is inside our system. You can use ls to not only see what is inside the current folder, but others as well.

And as you can see from this image, you not only can do one at a time, but more than one if you add them to your "arguments". An example of an option or two thrown in for fun:

cd

---

The letters "cd" are an abbreviation of the words "Change Directory". Let's say we had a folder called "books" in the home folder. Then all you have to do is type:

And you'd be in the "books" directory. That's all there is to it.

pwd

---

You know how to get to a folder, and how to see what's inside, but let's say you don't know where in the file-system you are? "pwd" is the answer. To implement it, do:

It'll print the full path in the system, which is pretty useful when you don't know where you are exactly.

Man Pages

---

To learn more about any command we learned above, and it's optionn, all you'd have to do is type "man [COMMAND]". That's all there is to it.

If there are any questions or criticism, feel free to comment.