Linux Commands:
Have you ever stared at that scary black terminal screen and thought, “What am I even looking at?”
Yeah, same here. The first time I opened Linux, I felt like I was hacking into NASA. I typed a command, something blinked, and… nothing. Absolute silence. Confusion followed. Then came frustration.
But let me tell you something — once I learned the basics of Linux commands, everything changed. Suddenly, I wasn’t afraid of the terminal anymore. I could navigate folders, create files, peek inside logs — all with a few strokes of my keyboard. 😎
And that’s exactly what I want for you.
So, here it is — my no-nonsense guide to 25 beginner-friendly Linux commands that will make you feel like a pro (or at least less confused) in 2025.
📘 25 Basic Linux Commands You Need to Know in 2025
Let’s get straight into it. These are the Linux commands that I used (and still use) as a beginner — broken down in a way that makes sense to real humans, not robots.
1. pwd – Print Working Directory
Tells you where you are in the system.
bash
<code>pwd
Trust me, I type this a lot when I’m lost in folders. 🧭
2. ls – List Files
Shows everything in the current folder.
bash<br>ls -l<br>ls -a<br>
Need to see hidden files? Use ls -a. Boom. ✨
3. cd – Change Directory
Moves you to a different location.
bashcd Documents<br>cd ..<br>
The .. takes you one level up. Kind of like going back to the parent folder.
4. mkdir – Make Directory
Creates a new folder.
bashmkdir myfolder<br>
5. rmdir – Remove Directory
Deletes an empty folder.
bashrmdir myfolder<br>
(If the folder isn’t empty, it won’t work — Linux is picky like that.)
6. touch – Create a New File
Makes an empty file.
bashtouch file.txt<br>
Useful when you just need to create something quickly.
7. cat – Show File Contents
Prints the file content to your screen.
bashcat file.txt<br>
8. nano – Edit Files in Terminal
Opens a text editor right inside your terminal.
bashnano file.txt<br>
Simple, clean, and gets the job done. I use this more than I’d like to admit. 😅
9. cp – Copy Files or Folders
bashcp original.txt backup.txt<br>
10. mv – Move or Rename Files
bashmv file.txt file_renamed.txt<br>
It moves and renames. Two jobs in one. 💼
11. rm – Remove Files
Deletes files. Careful though — no “undo” here!
bashrm file.txt<br>
If you’re feeling bold (and brave):
bashrm -rf folder/<br>
But PLEASE triple-check before using this. 😨
12. clear – Clean the Screen
Wipes your terminal screen.
bashclear<br>
Feels like hitting refresh on your brain. 🧼
13. history – Show Command History
Displays every command you’ve typed.
bashhistory<br>
Perfect when you forget what you just did five minutes ago (happens to me constantly).
14. man – Manual for Commands
Want to learn more about a command? This opens the help guide.
bashman ls<br>
15. echo – Print Stuff
Prints messages or variables.
bashecho "Hello, Linux!"<br>
16. whoami – Who’s Logged In?
bashwhoami<br>
Handy when you’re switching between users.
17. df -h – Disk Free Space (Human-Readable)
Shows your disk usage in a friendly format.
bashdf -h<br>
I check this every time I wonder why my system’s slowing down.
18. du – Directory Size
Want to know what’s taking space?
bashdu -sh *<br>
19. top – Task Manager for Linux
Shows running processes and system resource usage.
bashtop<br>
I use this whenever my fan goes crazy. 🌀
20. ps – Process Snapshot
Another way to check running processes.
bashps aux<br>
21. kill – Stop a Process
Use it with a Process ID (PID) to stop something that’s misbehaving.
bashkill 1234<br>
22. chmod – Change File Permissions
Makes a file executable, or readable, etc.
bashchmod +x script.sh<br>
23. chown – Change Ownership
bashchown user:user file.txt<br>
Used this when I messed up permissions on my own files. 😬
24. grep – Search Inside Files
bashgrep "error" log.txt<br>
When you’re debugging something and need to find one word in 1000 lines.
25. exit – Leave the Terminal
bashexit<br>
That’s it. Close the terminal like a boss. 🕶️
🧠 Don’t Try To Memorize Everything at Once
Here’s a secret I wish someone told me earlier — you don’t need to learn all Linux and commands in one day. Start with 5-10 that you use daily. Slowly add more as you go.
Practice them while doing real tasks. Make mistakes. Google stuff. That’s how I learned.
And if you need help, Want to learn Linux Course Online?, or Cyber Security Course with Certification Visit www.kaashivinfotech.com.
🧑💻 Real Talk: My First Linux Mistake
I once deleted my own project using rm -rf . because I didn’t check where I was. I cried. Then I learned.
That’s how Linux and commands work — unforgiving, but powerful. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll never want to go back to mouse-clicking your way around. 💻✨
❤️ Final Thoughts – Make Linux Yours
Whether you’re learning Linux and commands for DevOps, cybersecurity, backend development, or just curiosity — this is your time.
Don’t fear the terminal. Treat it like a friend. A very nerdy, precise friend. 😅
Want a PDF version of this blog? Or a cheat sheet to stick near your desk? Let me know — I’d be thrilled to make one for you.
Until then, open that terminal… and start typing. One command at a time.
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