Linux Commands Cheat Sheet

Q: What is sudo and when do I need it?

`sudo` runs a single command as the superuser (root), which is required for actions that affect the whole system - installing packages, editing system files, or changing ownership outside your home directory. It will usually prompt for your password. Use it only when a command fails with a permission error, and avoid running everything as root.

Last updated May 27, 2026

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Move around and see where you are.

Command	What it does
`pwd`	Print the current directory path
`ls`	List files in the current directory
`ls -la`	List all files (incl. hidden) with details
`cd /path/to/dir`	Change to a directory
`cd ..`	Go up one directory
`cd ~`	Go to your home directory
`cd -`	Go back to the previous directory

File management

Create, copy, move, and delete files and folders.

Command	What it does
`touch file.txt`	Create an empty file
`mkdir mydir`	Create a directory
`mkdir -p a/b/c`	Create nested directories
`cp src.txt dest.txt`	Copy a file
`cp -r src/ dest/`	Copy a directory recursively
`mv old.txt new.txt`	Move or rename
`rm file.txt`	Delete a file
`rm -rf mydir`	Delete a directory and its contents

Viewing files

Read file contents in the terminal.

Command	What it does
`cat file.txt`	Print the whole file
`less file.txt`	Scroll through a file page by page
`head file.txt`	Show the first 10 lines
`head -n 20 file.txt`	Show the first 20 lines
`tail file.txt`	Show the last 10 lines
`tail -f log.txt`	Follow a file as it grows
`wc -l file.txt`	Count lines in a file

Searching (grep & find)

Search inside files and find files by name.

Command	What it does
`grep "text" file.txt`	Find lines matching a pattern
`grep -r "text" .`	Search recursively in a folder
`grep -i "text" file.txt`	Case-insensitive search
`grep -n "text" file.txt`	Show matching line numbers
`find . -name "*.js"`	Find files by name pattern
`find . -type d`	Find directories only
`find . -mtime -1`	Files modified in the last day

Permissions (chmod & chown)

Control who can read, write, and execute.

Command	What it does
`chmod +x script.sh`	Make a file executable
`chmod 755 script.sh`	Owner rwx, group/others rx
`chmod 644 file.txt`	Owner rw, group/others read-only
`chmod -R 755 mydir`	Apply recursively to a folder
`chown user file.txt`	Change the owner
`chown user:group file.txt`	Change owner and group
`ls -l file.txt`	View a file's permissions

Process management

See and control running programs.

Command	What it does
`ps aux`	List all running processes
`top`	Live view of processes and resources
`htop`	Interactive process viewer
`kill <pid>`	Stop a process by its ID
`kill -9 <pid>`	Force-stop a process
`pkill firefox`	Stop processes by name
`jobs`	List background jobs in the shell
`command &`	Run a command in the background

Networking (curl, wget, ssh, ping)

Make requests and connect to other machines.

Command	What it does
`curl https://api.example.com`	Fetch a URL and print the response
`curl -O <url>`	Download a file keeping its name
`wget <url>`	Download a file from a URL
`ssh user@host`	Connect to a remote machine
`scp file.txt user@host:/path`	Copy a file to a remote host
`ping example.com`	Test connectivity to a host
`ip addr`	Show network interfaces and IPs

Archives & packages (tar & apt)

Bundle files and install software.

Command	What it does
`tar -czf out.tar.gz mydir`	Create a gzipped archive
`tar -xzf out.tar.gz`	Extract a gzipped archive
`tar -tzf out.tar.gz`	List archive contents
`zip -r out.zip mydir`	Create a zip archive
`unzip out.zip`	Extract a zip archive
`sudo apt update`	Refresh package lists (Debian/Ubuntu)
`sudo apt install pkg`	Install a package

The Linux commands you reach for most, on one page. This Linux commands cheat sheet is a quick reference for working in the terminal - navigating the filesystem, managing files, searching, setting permissions, controlling processes, and basic networking.

These commands are standard on bash and zsh, so they work the same on Linux and macOS. Copy what you need, or try them live in the terminal playground - a real shell in your browser, nothing to install.

Linux commands cheat sheet FAQ

Is this Linux commands cheat sheet free?

Yes. This Linux commands cheat sheet is completely free, with no sign-up required. Bookmark it and come back whenever you need to look up a command for files, permissions, or processes.

What does chmod 755 mean?

The three digits set permissions for the owner, the group, and everyone else, using read (4), write (2), and execute (1) added together. 755 means the owner gets read + write + execute (4+2+1=7), while the group and others get read + execute (4+1=5). It is the typical mode for scripts and directories that everyone should be able to run or enter but only the owner should change.

What is sudo and when do I need it?

sudo runs a single command as the superuser (root), which is required for actions that affect the whole system - installing packages, editing system files, or changing ownership outside your home directory. It will usually prompt for your password. Use it only when a command fails with a permission error, and avoid running everything as root.

Can I practice Linux commands online?

Yes. Open the terminal playground to run any command from this cheat sheet in a real shell in your browser - nothing to install. When you want structure, Coddy's free interactive terminal course walks you from navigation to pipes and process control step by step.

Is this cheat sheet good for beginners?

Yes. It is organized from navigation and file management (what you use every day) down to networking and package management, so you can use the top sections immediately and grow into the rest.