Linux Command Line Cheat Sheet

This cheat sheet provides a quick reference to commonly used commands and shortcuts.
See more at the Linuxize Linux Command Cheatsheet

Common Shortcuts

Shortcut	Description
`~`	Represents your home directory
`.`	Represents the current directory
`..`	Represents the parent directory
`-`	Switch to the previous directory
`/`	Represents the root directory
`*`	Matches zero or more characters in filenames
`?`	Matches a single character in filenames

File and Directory Management

Command	Description
`ls`	List directory contents
`ls -la`	List all files with detailed information
`cd <directory>`	Change to directory
`pwd`	Print working directory
`mkdir <directory>`	Create a new directory
`rmdir <directory>`	Remove an empty directory
`rm <file>`	Remove a file
`cp <source> <destination>`	Copy files or directories
`mv <source> <destination>`	Move or rename files or directories

Searching and Finding

Command	Description
`grep <pattern> <file>`	Search for a pattern in a file
`find <directory> -name <name>`	Find files by name
`locate <file>`	Locate a file quickly (uses a database)

System Information

Command	Description
`top`	Display real-time system processes
`free -h`	Show memory usage
`df -h`	Display disk space usage
`uname -a`	Show system information

Networking

Command	Description
`ip a`	View the IP address
`ifconfig`	Display network configurations
`ping <host>`	Check connectivity to a host
`curl <url>`	Transfer data from a URL

Miscellaneous

Command	Description
`man <command>`	Show manual for a command
`clear`	Clear terminal screen
`exit`	Exit the terminal