UNIX Command Cheat Sheets
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UNIX Command Cheat Sheets
Command Description (short) Example Explanation
date Writes the current date to the screen date Mon Nov 20 18:25:37 EST 2000
sort infile Sorts the contents of the input file in
alphabetical order
sort names Sorts the contents of names in
alphabetical order
who Tells you who is logged onto your server who None
who am I Tells you your user information who am i
whoami
None
clear Clears the window and the line buffer clear None
echo whatever I
type
Writes whatever I type to the screen. echo hey you! Writes hey you! to the screen
banner big
words
Does the same thing as echo only in BIG
words
banner hey! Writes hey! in large letters on the
screen
cat file1 file2
file3
Shows the three files in consecutive order as
one document (can be used to combine files)
cat cheese
milk
This prints the cheese file to the
screen first and immediately follows it
with the milk file.
df system Reports the number of free disk blocks df ~
df $HOME
Both commands will print the total kb
space, kb used, kb available, and
%used on the home system (your
system).
head file Prints the first 10 lines of the file to the screen head
addresses
Prints the first 10 lines of addresses
to the screen
Number of lines can be modified head -25
addresses
Prints the first 25 lines of addresses
to the screen
tail file Prints the last 10 lines of the file to the screen tail test.txt Prints the last 10 lines of test.txt to
the screen
Number of lines can be modified here, too tail -32
test.txt
Prints the last 32 lines of test.txt to
the screen
more input This prints to screen whatever is input—useful
because it only shows one screen at a time.
more
groceries
This will list the groceries file to the
screen.
scroll bar continues to the next screen
return moves one line forward
Q quits
G goes to the end
1G goes to the beginning
Ctrl u moves up ½ screen
Ctrl d moves down ½ screen
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Command Description (short) Example Explanation
ls (-option-optional) Lists all the nonhidden files and directories ls Lists all nonhidden files and directories in
the current directory
ls bin Lists all nonhidden files and directories in
the bin directory
ls -l or ll Lists all nonhidden files and directories in
long format
ls -l
ll
Lists all nonhidden files and directories in
the current directory in long format
ls -l work
ll work
Lists all nonhidden files and directories in
the work directory in long format
ls -a Lists all files and directories including
hidden ones
ls -a Lists all files and directories, including
hidden, in the current directory
ls -a temp Lists all files and directories in the temp
directory.
ls -r Lists all files and directories in reverse
alphabetical order
ls -r Lists all nonhidden files and directories in
the current directory in reverse
alphabetical order
ls -r abc Lists all nonhidden files and directories in
the abc directory in reverse alphabetical
order
ls -t Lists all nonhidden files in the order they
were last modified
ls -t
Lists all the nonhidden files in the current
directory in the order they were last
modified from most recent to last
ls -t work Lists all the nonhidden files in the work
directory in the order they were last
modified from most recent to last
NOTE: Options can be combined using ls ls -al Lists all files (including hidden (-a)) in
long format (-l)
Important Characters
|
>
>>
&
~
<
“pipe” directs the output of the first
command to the input of another.
Sends the output of a command to a
designated file
Appends the output of a command to a
designated file
Runs command in the background; you can
still work in the window
Designates the home directory ($HOME)
Designates input from somewhere other
than terminal
ls -l | more
ls -l > myfiles
ls -l >> allfiles
xclock &
echo ~
progA <>
Lists your files in long format one screen
at a time
Prints your listing to a file named myfiles
Appends your filenames to the end of the
allfiles file
Runs xclock (a clock) allowing you to keep
working
Writes your home directory to the screen
progA program gets its input from a file
named input1
Wildcards
*
?
[ ]
UNIX has a set of wildcards that it accepts.
Any string of characters
Any one character
Match any character in the brackets (a
hyphen is used for ranges of characters)
ls *.c
ls file?
ls v[6-9]file
Lists any file or directory (nonhidden)
ending with c
Lists any file/directory with file and 1
character at the end
Lists v6file, v7file, v8file, and v9file
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Command Description (short) Example Explanation
cd directory Changes your current directory to the directory
specified
cd bin Changes directory to the bin directory
cd ..
cd ../..
Moves you to the directory that
contains the directory you are currently
in
Ex. Current
directory=/home/users/bob/bin
execute cd ..
New directory= /home/users/bob
or executing cd ../..
New directory= /home/users.
cd - Moves you to the directory you just
came from
cd ~
cd
Both move you to your home directory
(the directory you start from initially)
mkdir dirname Creates a directory mkdir junk Makes a directory named junk in your
current directory
You can also designate where the directory is to
reside.
mkdir ~/left Makes a directory in your home
directory named left
rm file1 file2 file3 Removes (deletes) file(s) rm xyz Deletes a file named xyz
rm xyz abc Deletes the files named xyz and abc
rm * Deletes everything nonhidden
rm -i file1 file2 Prompts before deletion of files
*******USE -i AT FIRST*******
rm -i * Prompts at each nonhidden file and
lets you decide whether or not to
delete it
rm -f file1 file2 Forces deletion without prompt regardless of
permissions
rm -f program Removes the file program without
regard to permissions, status, etc.
rm -r directory
rm -R directory
Remove a directory along with anything inside of it rm -r bin
rm -R bin
Each of these will remove the bin
directory and everything inside of it.
rmdir directory Removes a directory like rm -r does if the directory is
empty
rmdir bin Removes the bin directory if it is
empty
****dangerous****
rm -fR name
rm -Rf name
This combination will force the removal of any file
and any directory including anything inside of it
rm -Rf c_ya Forces removal without prompts of
the c_ya directory and anything
inside of it
rm -Ri directory Deletes the contents of a directory and the directory if it
is empty by prompting the user before each deletion
rm -Ri rusure Deletes anything in the directory
called rusure that you verify at the
prompt, and if you remove everything
in the directory, you will be prompted
whether you want to remove the
directory itself or not
NOTE: Options can be combined using rm
rmdir -p directory Removes a directory and any empty parent
directories above it (-pi does the same thing but
it prompts before each removal)
rmdir -p /home/bin/dir1
Deletes the dir1 directory; if bin
directory is empty, it is deleted, and if
home directory is empty it is also
deleted
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Command Description (short) Example Explanation
cp file1 newname Copies a file (file1) and names
the copy the new name
(newname)
cp old new Makes a copy of the file/directory
named old and names the copy new,
all within the current directory
NOTE: If you copy a file to a newfile
name and newfile already exists, the
newfile contents will be overwritten.
cp file dir2/ Places a copy of file in dir2/ and it
retains its original name
cp ../dir1/* . Copies everything from the dir1
directory located just below where you
currently are and places the copy
“here” ( . ) in your current directory
cp -p name target Preserves all permissions in the
original to the target
cp -p execut1 execut2 Copies execut1 executable file and
calls the copy execut2, which also has
executable permissions
cp -R directory target Copies a directory and names the
copy the new name (target)
cp -R old/ junk/ Makes a copy of the directory named
old and names the directory copy junk
cp -f name target Forces existing pathnames to be
destroyed before copying the file
none No example or description needed
mv initial final Renames files and directories mv temp script_1 Renames the file (or directory) temp to
the name script_1 in the current
directory
Also moves files to other
directories
mv script.exe ~/bin Moves the script.exe file to the bin
directory that is in the home (~) parent
directory and it keeps its initial name
You can do multiple moves. mv script_1 script.exe ~/bin Moves both script_1 and script.exe to
the bin directory
pwd Prints the current directory to the
screen
pwd May print something like “/home/bob”
pr (option) filename Prints the specified file to the
default printer (options are not
required but can be combined in
any order)
pr userlist Prints the contents of userlist to the
default printer
pr +k filename Starts printing with page k pr +5 userlist Prints the contents of userlist starting
with page 5
pr -k filename Prints in k columns pr -2 userlist Prints the contents of userlist in 2
columns
pr -a filename Prints in multicolumns across the
page (use with -k)
pr -3a userlist1 Prints userlist in three columns across
the page
pr -d filename Prints in double space format pr -d userlist Prints userlist with double space
format
pr -h“header” filename Prints the file with a specified
header rather than the filename
pr -h “users” userlist Prints userlist with users as the
header
NOTE: Options can be combined using pr
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Command Description (short) Example Explanation
lpconfig printer_id
queue
Configures remote printers to a local print
queue
lpconfig prntr1 bobprt Configures a printer named prntr1
to accept print requests from a local
queue named bobprt
lpconfig -r queue Removes the said queue from the local
system
lpconfig -r bobprt Removes bobprt queue from the
local system if the person removing
the queue is the owner or “root”
lpconfig -d queue Makes the said queue the default queue lpconfig -d vpprnt Makes vpprnt the default print queue
lpstat (-options) Prints printer status information to screen
(options not required)
lpstat Prints status of all requests made to
the default printer by the current
server
lpstat -u“user1, user2” Prints the status of requests made by the
specified users
lpstat -u“bob” Prints status of all requests made by
the user with the id bob
lpstat s Prints the queues and the printers they print
to
none None
lpstat -t Shows all print status information none None
lpstat -d Shows the default printer for the lp
command
none None
lpstat -r Lets you know if the line printer scheduler is
running
none None
lp (-option) file(s) Like pr, this prints designated files on the
connected printer(s) (options not required
and options may be combined).
lp junkfile Prints the file junkfile to the default
printer in default one-sided, singlesided,
single-spaced format
lp -ddest file(s) Prints the file(s) to a specific destination lp -dbobsq zoom Sends the file zoom to the bobsq
print queue to print
lp -nnumber file(s) Allows user to designate the number of
copies to be printed
lp -n5 crash Prints five copies of crash in default
settings
lp -ttitle file(s) Places title on the banner page lp -tBobs cash Prints Bobs on the banner page of
the file printout named cash
lp -ooption file(s) Allows printer-specific options to be used
(i.e., double-sided or two pages per side,
etc.)
lp -od output Prints the output file double-sided on
the printout
lp -obold output Prints output in bold print
lp -ohalf output Divides the paper into two halves for
printing output
lp -oquarter output Prints four pages of output per side
of paper
lp -olandscape output Prints output in landscape orientation
lp -oportrait output Prints output in portrait orientation
NOTE: Options can be combined using lp
cancel request_id Stops print jobs or removes them from the
queue (request_ids are obtained using
lpstat)
cancel 5438 Stops the print job with the id 5438
whether it is printing or if it is sitting in
the queue
cancel -a printer Removes all print requests from the current
user on the specified printer
cancel -a bobsprt Removes all the requests from the
current user to the printer named
bobsprt
cancel -u login_id Removes any print requests queued
belonging to the user
cancel -u bob Cancels all queued print requests for
user bob
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Command Description (short) Example Explanation
ps Shows certain information about active
processes associated with the current
terminal
ps Shows a listing of process IDs,
terminal identifier, cumulative
execution time, and command name
ps -e Shows information about all processes ps -e Shows a listing of process IDs,
terminal identifiers, cumulative
execution time, and command names
for all processes
ps -f Shows a full listing of information about
the processes listed
ps -f Shows UID (user or owner of the
process), PID (process ID--use this
number to kill it), PPID (process ID of
the parent source), C (processor
utilization for scheduling), STIME (start
time of the process), TTY (controlling
terminal for the process), TIME
(cumulative time the process has run),
and COMMAND (the command that
started the process)
ps -u user_id Shows all processes that are owned by
the person with the pertinent user_id
ps -u bob Shows all the processes that belong to
the person with the userid bob
ps -ef Shows all processes in a full listing ps -ef Shows all current processes in full
listing
kill process_id Stops the process with the said id kill 6969 Kills the process with PID 6969
kill -9 process_id Destroys the process with the said id kill -9 6969 PID # 6969 doesn’t have a chance
here.
grep string file Searches input file(s) for specified string
and prints the line with matches
grep mike letter Searches for the string mike in the file
named letter and prints any line with
mike in it to the screen
grep -c string file Searches and prints only the number of
matches to the screen
grep -c hayes bankletter Searches the file bankletter for the
string hayes and prints the number of
matches to the screen
grep -i string file Searches without regard to letter case grep -i hi file1 Searches file1 for hi, Hi, hI, and HI
and prints all matches to the screen
grep -n string file Prints to the screen preceded by the line
number
grep -n abc alpha Searches alpha for abc and prints the
matches’ lines and line numbers to the
screen
grep -v string file All lines that do not match are printed grep -v lead pencils Prints all lines in pencils that do not
contain the string lead
grep -x string file Only exact matches are printed grep -x time meetings Prints only lines in meetings that
match time exactly
grep is useful when you use it in a | “pipe” ps -ef | grep bob Finds all processes in full listing and
then prints only the ones that match
the string bob to the screen
You can also redirect its output to a
file.
grep -i jan b_days>mymonth Searches the file b_days for caseinsensitive
matches to jan and places
the matching lines into a file called
mymonth
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Command Description (short) Example Explanation
vuepad filename Opens filename for editing/viewing in the vuepad
editor
none None
vi filename Text editor that exists on every UNIX system in
the world
none None
emacs filename Another text editor none None
compress filename Compresses the file to save disk space. none None
uncompress filename Expands a compressed file none None
awk UNIX programming language none None
eval `resize` Tells the target computer that you’ve resized the
window during telnet
none None
chexp # filename Keeps the file(s) from expiring (being erased) on
the target computer for # days
chexp 365 nr* Keeps the target computer from
deleting all files starting with nr
for 1 year (365 days)
chexp 4095 nr* Makes all files whose name
starts with nr never expire or be
deleted (infinite)
qstat Displays the status of a process that has been
submitted the Network Queuing System (basically
a batch job)
qstat Shows the status of the requests
submitted by the invoker of the
command—this will print
request-name, request-id, the
owner, relative request priority,
and request state (is it running
yet?)
qstat -a Shows all requests
qstat -l Shows requests in long format
qstat -m Shows requests in mediumlength
format
qstat -u bob Shows only requests belonging
to the user bob
qstat -x Queue header is shown in an
extended format
xterm
xterm -option
xterm +option
Opens a new window (x-terminal) for you to work
-option sets the option
+option resets the option to default
xterm This opens another window like
the one you are currently
working in.
USING XTERM WILL
ELIMINATE A LOT OF
DESKTOP CLUTTER. I
STRONGLY SUGGEST YOU
LEARN TO USE IT IN YOUR
SCRIPTS.
xterm -help Displays the xterm options xterm -help Shows the options available
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Command Description (short) Example (Explanation)
xterm -e program Executes the listed program in the
new xterm window—when the
program is finished, the new xterm
window goes away
xterm -e myprog.exe This opens an xterm window and
executes the program myprog.exe
from that window so that you may
still work in your present window.
xterm -sb Opens an xterm that saves a set
number of lines when they go off the
top of the page and makes them
accessible with a scroll bar
xterm -sb Puts a scroll bar on the right side of
the page for reviewing past lines in
the window
NOTE: When clicking in the scroll
bar, the left button scrolls down, the
right scrolls up, and the middle
snaps the scroll bar to the mouse
position for dragging up and down.
xterm -sl number Specifies the number of lines to be
saved once they go off the top of the
screen (default is 64)
xterm -sl 1000 The xterm will save 1,000 lines of
work once it has moved off the
immediate viewing area; it can be
accessed using the scroll bar.
xterm -geom xxy+px+py This option allows you to
specify the size x pixels by y
pixels and placement position
x by position y of the new
window when it opens.
Position +0+0 is the top lefthand
corner of the screen, and
the bottom right is approx.
+1200+1000 depending on
your resolution.
Note: The size of the window
takes precedence over
position, so if you position it too
close to the side of the screen,
it will position at the edge with
the correct size.
xterm -geom 80x80+0+50
xterm -geom 10x35+300+500
xterm -geom 5x5+0+0
The first command will open a
window 80 pixels wide by 80 pixels
tall and position its top left-hand
corner at 0 pixels to the right of the
left edge and 50 pixels down from
the top of the screen.
The second command will open a
window 10 pixs wide by 35 pixs tall
and position its top left-hand corner
300 pixs from the left edge and 500
pixs down from the top.
The third command will make a 5 by
5 window and position its top lefthand
corner at the top left-hand
corner of the screen.
xterm will not compromise size
when positioning.
xterm -title label Allows you to label your window’s top
title bar
xterm -title SCRIPTS Opens an xterm window with the title
SCRIPTS (default is whatever
follows the -e option)
xterm -(areas) color Allows you to modify different colors
in your xterm window
xterm -bg white
xterm -bd huntergreen
xterm -fg red
The first command sets the
background color to white.
The second command sets the
window border color to
huntergreen.
The third command window sets the
text color to red.
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xterm -fn font Sets the font in the new xterm
window
xterm -fn courr18 Sets the font to courr18 (default is
fixed)
xterm -iconic Starts the new xterm as an icon
(double-click to maximize)
xterm -iconic -title xyz Opens an xterm in iconic form with
the title xyz
NOTE: Options can be combined using xterm
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