Debian Commands

A


alias: Create an alias


awk: Find and Replace text within file(s)



B


basename: Return just the file name alone


bzip2/bunzip2: Compress or decompress named file(s)



C


cat: Display the contents of a file


cat -n: simple way to add line-numbers to the output of a command


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


clear: Clear terminal screen


cmp: Compare two files


comm: Compare two sorted files line by line


cp Copy one or more files to another location


crontab: Schedule a command to run at a later time



D


date: Display or change the date & time


dc: Desk Calculator


dd: Data Dump - Convert and copy a file


df: Display free disk space


diff: Display the differences between two files


dir: Briefly list directory contents


dircolors: Colour setup for ls


dirname: Convert a full pathname to just a path


dmesg: Output is from the kernel booting, showing the devices it has found and if it has been able to configure them at all (aside from userland configuration).


du: Estimate file space usage



E


echo: Display message on screen


egrep: Print lines matching a pattern (same as grep -E)


eject: Eject CD-ROM


env: Display, set, or remove environment variables


exit: Exit the shell (or press Ctrl-D)


export: Set an environment variable



F


fdisk: Partition table manipulator for Linux


fgrep: Print lines matching a pattern (same as grep -F)


file: Tells what kind of files are those listed on command line


find: Search for files that meet a desired criteria


for: Expand words, and execute commands


format: Format disks or tapes


free: Display memory usage


fsck: Filesystem consistency check and repair.


ftp: Transfer/receive files from/to a remote host



G


grep: Print lines matching a pattern


groups: Print group names a user is in


gzip/gunzip: Compress or decompress named file(s)



H


head: Output the first part of file(s)


history: Command History


hostname: Print or set system name



I


id: Print user and group id's


if/then/else/elif/fi Conditionally perform a command


info: Help info



J


join: Joins lines on a common field



K


kill: Stops a process from running


killall: Stops matching process from running



L


less: Display output one screen at a time


ln: Make links between files


locate: Find files using an indexed list.


logname: Print current login name


logout: Exit a login shell


lpc: Line printer control program


lpr: Off line print


lprint: Print a file


lprintq: List the print queue


ls: List information about file(s)



M


man: Help manual


mkdir: Create new folder(s)


more: Display output one screen at a time


mount: Mount a file system


mv: Move or rename files or directories



N


nice: Set the priority of a command or job



P


passwd: Modify a user password


printf: Format and print data


ps: Process Status. Lists running process


pwd: Print Working Directory



Q



R


rgrep: Recursive grep


rm: Remove file(s)


rmdir: Remove folder(s)


rsync: Remote file copy (Synchronize file trees) using its own protocol. It may be used over an ssh or rsh connection.



S


scp: Copy files between two machines over an ssh connection


sdiff: Merge two files interactively


sed: Stream Editor


select: Accept keyboard input


sftp: Secure file transfer (FTP over SSH)


shutdown: Shutdown or restart Linux


sleep: Delay for a specified time


sort: Sort text files


ssh: Secure Shell


su: Substitute user identity


sudo: Execute a command as another user


sync: Synchronize data on disk with memory



T


tail: Output the last part of files


tar: Tape Archiver


time: Measure Program Resource Use


touch: Change file timestamps or create an empty file


top: List processes running on the system


traceroute: Trace Route to Host


tr: Translate, squeeze, and/or delete characters


true: Do nothing, successfully



U


umask: Users file creation mask


umount: Unmount a device


uname: Print system information


uniq: Uniquify files


until: Execute commands (until error)


useradd: Create new user account


usermod: Modify user account


users: List users currently logged in



V


vdir: Verbosely list directory contents (ls -l -b)



W


watch: Execute/display a program periodically


wc: Print byte, word and line counts


which: Locate a program file in the user's path.


who: Print all usernames currently logged in


whoami: Print the current user id and name (`id -un')



X


xargs: Execute utility, passing constructed argument list(s)



Y






Z


https://wiki.debian.org/ShellCommands