BASH - Command-line reference A-Z

An A-Z Index of the Linux BASH command line

˜>˜>alias Create an alias
˜>awk Find and Replace text within file(s)
˜>break Exit from a loop
˜>builtin Run a shell builtin
˜>cal Display a calendar
˜>case Conditionally perform a command
˜>cat Display the contents of a file
˜>cd Change Directory
˜>chgrp Change group ownership
˜>chmod Change access permissions
˜>chown Change file owner and group
˜>chroot Run a command with a different root directory
˜>cksum Print CRC checksum and byte counts
clear Clear terminal screen
˜>cmp Compare two files
˜>comm Compare two sorted files line by line
˜>command Run a command - ignoring shell functions
˜>continue Resume the next iteration of a loop
˜>cp Copy one or more files to another location
˜>cron Daemon to execute scheduled commands
˜>crontab Schedule a command to run at a later time
˜>csplit Split a file into context-determined pieces
˜>cut Divide a file into several parts
˜>date Display or change the date & time
˜>dc Desk Calculator
˜>dd Data Dump - Convert and copy a file
˜>declare Declare variables and give them attributes
˜>df Display free disk space
˜>diff Display the differences between two files
˜>diff3 Show differences among three files
˜>dir Briefly list directory contents
˜>dircolors Colour setup for `ls'
˜>dirname Convert a full pathname to just a path
˜>dirs Display list of remembered directories
˜>du Estimate file space usage
˜>echo Display message on screen
ed A line-oriented text editor (edlin)
˜>egrep Search file(s) for lines that match an extended expression
eject Eject CD-ROM
˜>enable Enable and disable builtin shell commands
˜>env Display, set, or remove environment variables
˜>eval Evaluate several commands/arguments
˜>exec Execute a command
exit Exit the shell
˜>expand Convert tabs to spaces
˜>export Set an environment variable
˜>expr Evaluate expressions
˜>factor Print prime factors
˜>false Do nothing, unsuccessfully
˜>fdformat Low-level format a floppy disk
˜>fdisk Partition table manipulator for Linux
˜>fgrep Search file(s) for lines that match a fixed string
˜>find Search for files that meet a desired criteria
˜>fmt Reformat paragraph text
˜>fold Wrap text to fit a specified width.
˜>for Expand words, and execute commands
format Format disks or tapes
free Display memory usage
˜>fsck Filesystem consistency check and repair.
˜>function Define Function Macros
˜>gawk Find and Replace text within file(s)
˜>getopts Parse positional parameters
˜>grep Search file(s) for lines that match a given pattern
˜>groups Print group names a user is in
˜>gzip Compress or decompress named file(s)
˜>hash Remember the full pathname of a name argument
˜>head Output the first part of file(s)
˜>history Command History
˜>hostname Print or set system name
˜>id Print user and group id's
˜>if Conditionally perform a command
˜>import Capture an X server screen and save the image to file
˜>info Help info
˜>install Copy files and set attributes
˜>join Join lines on a common field
˜>kill Stop a process from running
˜>less Display output one screen at a time
˜>let Perform arithmetic on shell variables
˜>ln Make links between files
˜>local Create variables
˜>locate Find files
˜>logname Print current login name
˜>logout Exit a login shell
˜>lpc Line printer control program
˜>lpr Off line print
lprint Print a file
lprintd Abort a print job
lprintq List the print queue
˜>lprm Remove jobs from the print queue
˜>ls List information about file(s)
˜>m4 Macro processor
˜>man Help manual
˜>mkdir Create new folder(s)
˜>mkfifo Make FIFOs (named pipes)
˜>mknod Make block or character special files
˜>more Display output one screen at a time
˜>mount Mount a file system
˜>mtools Manipulate MS-DOS files
˜>mv Move or rename files or directories
˜>nice Set the priority of a command or job
˜>nl Number lines and write files
˜>nohup Run a command immune to hangups
˜>passwd Modify a user password
˜>paste Merge lines of files
pathchk Check file name portability
˜>popd Restore the previous value of the current directory
˜>pr Convert text files for printing
printcap Printer capability database
printenv Print environment variables
˜>printf Format and print data
˜>ps Process status
˜>pushd Save and then change the current directory
˜>pwd Print Working Directory
˜>quota Display disk usage and limits
˜>quotacheck Scan a file system for disk usage
˜>quotactl Set disk quotas
˜>ram ram disk device
˜>rcp Copy files between two machines.
˜>read read a line from standard input
˜>readonly Mark variables/functions as readonly
remsync Synchronize remote files via email
˜>return Exit a shell function
˜>rm Remove files
˜>rmdir Remove folder(s)
rpm Remote Package Manager
˜>rsync Remote file copy (Synchronize file trees)
screen Terminal window manager
˜>sdiff Merge two files interactively
˜>sed Stream Editor
˜>select Accept keyboard input
˜>seq Print numeric sequences
˜>set Manipulate shell variables and functions
˜>shift Shift positional parameters
˜>shopt Shell Options
˜>shutdown Shutdown or restart linux
˜>sleep Delay for a specified time
˜>sort Sort text files
˜>source Run commands from a file `.'
˜>split Split a file into fixed-size pieces
˜>su Substitute user identity
˜>sum Print a checksum for a file
˜>symlink Make a new name for a file
˜>sync Synchronize data on disk with memory
˜>tac Concatenate and write files in reverse
˜>tail Output the last part of files
˜>tar Tape ARchiver
˜>tee Redirect output to multiple files
˜>test Evaluate a conditional expression
˜>time Measure Program Resource Use
˜>times User and system times
˜>touch Change file timestamps
˜>top List processes running on the system
˜>traceroute Trace Route to Host
trap Run a command when a signal is set(bourne)
˜>tr Translate, squeeze, and/or delete characters
˜>true Do nothing, successfully
˜>tsort Topological sort
˜>tty Print filename of terminal on stdin
˜>type Describe a command
˜>ulimit Limit user resources
˜>umask Users file creation mask
umount Unmount a device
˜>unalias Remove an alias
˜>uname Print system information
˜>unexpand Convert spaces to tabs
˜>uniq Uniquify files
˜>units Convert units from one scale to another
˜>unset Remove variable or function names
˜>unshar Unpack shell archive scripts
˜>until Execute commands (until error)
˜>useradd Create new user account
˜>usermod Modify user account
˜>users List users currently logged in
˜>uuencode Encode a binary file
˜>uudecode Decode a file created by uuencode
v Verbosely list directory contents (`ls -l -b')
vdir Verbosely list directory contents (`ls -l -b')
˜>watch Execute/display a program periodically
˜>wc Print byte, word, and line counts
˜>whereis Report all known instances of a command
˜>which Locate a program file in the user's path.
˜>while Execute commands
˜>who Print all usernames currently logged in
whoami Print the current user id and name (`id -un')
˜>xargs Execute utility, passing constructed argument list(s)
˜>yes Print a string until interrupted
˜>.period Run commands from a file
˜>### Comment / Remark