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Commonly used commands in Unix Cheat Sheet
| Help on any Unix command. RTFM! | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| man {command} | Type man ls to read the manual for the ls command. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| man {command} > {filename} | Redirect help to a file to download. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| whatis {command} | Give short description of command. (Not on RAIN?) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| apropos {keyword} | Search for all Unix commands that match keyword, eg apropos file. (Not on RAIN?) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| List a directory | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ls {path} | It's ok to combine attributes, eg ls -laF gets a long listing of all files with types. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ls {path_1} {path_2} | List both {path_1} and {path_2}. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ls -l {path} | Long listing, with date, size and permisions. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ls -a {path} | Show all files, including important .dot files that don't otherwise show. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ls -F {path} | Show type of each file. "/" = directory, "*" = executable. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ls -R {path} | Recursive listing, with all subdirs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ls {path} > {filename} | Redirect directory to a file. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ls {path} | more | Show listing one screen at a time. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| dir {path} | Useful alias for DOS people, or use with ncftp. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Change to directory | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| cd {dirname} | There must be a space between. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| cd ~ | Go back to home directory, useful if you're lost. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| cd .. | Go back one directory. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| cdup | Useful alias, like "cd ..", or use with ncftp. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Make a new directory | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| mkdir {dirname} | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Remove a directory | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| rmdir {dirname} | Only works if {dirname} is empty. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| rm -r {dirname} | Remove all files and subdirs. Careful! | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Print working directory | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| pwd | Show where you are as full path. Useful if you're lost or exploring. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Copy a file or directory | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| cp {file1} {file2} | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| cp -r {dir1} {dir2} | Recursive, copy directory and all subdirs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| cat {newfile} >> {oldfile} | Append newfile to end of oldfile. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Move (or rename) a file | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| mv {oldfile} {newfile} | Moving a file and renaming it are the same thing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| mv {oldname} {newname} | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Delete a file | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| rm {filespec} | ? and * wildcards work like DOS should. "?" is any character; "*" is any string of characters. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ls {filespec} rm {filespec} | Good strategy: first list a group to make sure it's what's you think... ...then delete it all at once. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Download with zmodem | (Use sx with xmodem.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| sz [-a|b] {filename} | -a = ascii, -b = binary. Use binary for everything. (It's the default?) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| sz *.zip | Handy after downloading with FTP. Go talk to your spouse while it does it's stuff. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Upload with zmodem | (Use rx with xmodem.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| rz [-a|b] (filename} | Give rz command in Unix, THEN start upload at home. Works fine with multiple files. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| View a text file | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| more {filename} | View file one screen at a time. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| less {filename} | Like more, with extra features. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| cat {filename} | View file, but it scrolls. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| cat {filename} | more | View file one screen at a time. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| page {filename} | Very handy with ncftp. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| pico {filename} | Use text editor and don't save. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Edit a text file. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| pico {filename} | The same editor PINE uses, so you already know it. vi and emacs are also available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Create a text file. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| cat > {filename} | Enter your text (multiple lines with enter are ok) and press control-d to save. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| pico {filename} | Create some text and save it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Compare two files | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| diff {file1} {file2} | Show the differences. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| sdiff {file1} {file2} | Show files side by side. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other text commands | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| grep '{pattern}' {file} | Find regular expression in file. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| sort {file1} > {file2} | Sort file1 and save as file2. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| sort -o {file} {file} | Replace file with sorted version. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| spell {file} | Display misspelled words. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| wc {file} | Count words in file. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Find files on system | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| find {filespec} | Works with wildcards. Handy for snooping. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| find {filespec} > {filename} | Redirect find list to file. Can be big! | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Make an Alias | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| alias {name} '{command}' | Put the command in 'single quotes'. More useful in your .cshrc file. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wildcards and Shortcuts | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| * | Match any string of characters, eg page* gets page1, page10, and page.txt. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ? | Match any single character, eg page? gets page1 and page2, but not page10. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| [...] | Match any characters in a range, eg page[1-3] gets page1, page2, and page3. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ~ | Short for your home directory, eg cd ~ will take you home, and rm -r ~ will destroy it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| . | The current directory. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| .. | One directory up the tree, eg ls ... | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pipes and Redirection | (You pipe a command to another command, and redirect it to a file.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| {command} > {file} | Redirect output to a file, eg ls > list.txt writes directory to file. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| {command} >> {file} | Append output to an existing file, eg cat update >> archive adds update to end of archive. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| {command} < {file} | Get input from a file, eg sort < file.txt | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| {command} < {file1} > {file2} | Get input from file1, and write to file2, eg sort < old.txt > new.txt sorts old.txt and saves as new.txt. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| {command} | {command} | Pipe one command to another, eg ls | more gets directory and sends it to more to show it one page at a time. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Permissions, important and tricky! | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Unix permissions concern who can read a file or directory, write to it, and execute it. Permissions are granted or withheld with a magic 3-digit number. The three digits correspond to the owner (you); the group (?); and the world (everyone else). Think of each digit as a sum:
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| Add the number value of the permissions you want to grant each group to make a three digit number, one digit each for the owner, the group, and the world. Here are some useful combinations. Try to figure them out! | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| chmod 600 {filespec} | You can read and write; the world can't. Good for files. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| chmod 700 {filespec} | You can read, write, and execute; the world can't. Good for scripts. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| chmod 644 {filespec} | You can read and write; the world can only read. Good for web pages. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| chmod 755 {filespec} | You can read, write, and execute; the world can read and execute. Good for programs you want to share, and your public_html directory. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Permissions, another way | |||||||||||||||||||||||
You can also change file permissions with letters:
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| chmod u+rw {filespec} | Give yourself read and write permission | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| chmod u+x {filespec} | Give yourself execute permission. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| chmod a+rw {filespec} | Give read and write permission to everyone. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Applications I use | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| finger {userid} | Find out what someone's up to. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| gopher | Gopher. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| irc | IRC, but not available on RAIN. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| lynx | Text-based Web browser, fast and lean. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ncftp | Better FTP. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| pico {filename} | Easy text editor, but limited. vi and emacs are available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| pine | Email. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| telnet {host} | Start Telnet session to another host. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| tin | Usenet. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| uudecode {filename} uuencode {filename} | Do it on the server to reduce download size about 1/3. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ytalk {userid} | Chat with someone else online, eg ytalk mkummel. Please use w first so you don't interrupt a big download! | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| System info | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| date | Show date and time. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| df | Check system disk capacity. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| du | Check your disk usage and show bytes in each directory. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| more /etc/motd | Read message of the day, "motd" is a useful alias.. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| printenv | Show all environmental variables (in C-shell% - use set in Korn shell$). | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| quota -v | Check your total disk use. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| uptime | Find out system load. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| w | Who's online and what are they doing? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
