10 Essential Linux Commands Every Developer Should Know

1. ls — List Files

List directory contents. Add -l for long format and -a to show hidden files.

ls -la /var/www

2. cd — Change Directory

Move around the filesystem like a ninja in socks.

cd /etc/nginx

3. pwd — Print Working Directory

Lost? Ask the shell where you are.

pwd

4. mkdir — Make Directories

Create directories. Use -p to build nested parents.

mkdir -p projects/cli-tools/src

5. cp — Copy Files

Copy files or directories. Use -r for recursive copies and -i to prompt before overwrite.

cp -ri config.example.json config.json

6. mv — Move or Rename

Move things around or rename them when they have an identity crisis.

mv old.log archive/old-$(date +%F).log

7. rm — Remove Files

Deletes files. Use with care. For directories, add -r. Consider trash-cli for safer deletes.

rm -r build/

8. cat — Concatenate and Print

View file contents. For large files try less instead.

cat /etc/os-release

9. grep — Search Text

Filter lines that match a pattern. Case insensitive with -i, recursive with -R.

grep -Ri "error" /var/log

10. find — Find Files

Locate files by name, type, size and more. The hero of CommandLineQuiz.

find /home -type f -name "*.sh" -mtime -7

Bonus: man — Manual Pages

When in doubt, read the manual. It is friendlier than it looks.

man grep