Linux Cheat Sheet

A curated list of essential Linux information and commands every user should know

![OS-Linux-icon](https://icons.iconarchive.com/icons/dakirby309/simply-styled/128/OS-Linux-icon.png)
# Index **File Management** :file_folder:  • [Change Directories](#change-directories)  • [List Files](#list-files)  • [Current Directory](#current-directory)  • [File Contents](#file-contents)  • [File Creation](#file-creation)  • [File Deletion](#file-deletion)  • [Copy Files](#copy-files)  • [Move Files](#move-files)  • [Compare Files](#compare-files)  • [Symbolic Links](#symbolic-links) **Permission Manipulation** :briefcase:  • [Accessors](#accessors)  • [Permissions](#permissions)  • [Symbolic vs Absolute](#symbolic-vs-absolute)  • [Change Ownership](#change-ownership)  • [Set Permissions](#set-permissions) **Packaging** :package:  • [Sync Package List](#sync-package-list)  • [Query Packages](#query-packages)  • [Install Packages](#install-packages)  • [Delete Packages](#delete-packages)  • [List Packages](#list-packages)  • [Package Information](#package-information) **Source Control** :octocat:  • [Clone Repositories](#clone-repositories)  • [Stage Files](#stage-files)  • [Commit Files](#commit-files)  • [Upload Files](#upload-files) ## Legend  • angle brackets ``  • square brackets `[optional option]`  • curly braces `{default values}`  • parenthesis `(miscellaneous info)`  • hastag `# comment`

:file_folder: File Management

 In Linux everything is a file. Directories are just a list of files and for that reason, many programs such as `ls` and `mv` don't disctriminate ## Change Directories change to a directory (home) ```bash cd [dirPath] ``` ## List Files list all files in a directory (current) ```bash ls [dirPath] # including hidden ls -A [dirPath] ``` ## Current Directory return path to working directory ```bash pwd ``` ## File Contents output file content to terminal ```bash cat # first lines head # last lines tail ``` ## File Creation make file ```bash cat [someText] > # join two files into a new file cat > # make directory mkdir ``` ## File Deletion ```bash rm # and directories rm -r # recursive force (without confirmation) rm -fr ``` ## Copy Files copy files to a destination directory ```bash cp # and directories cp -r ``` ## Move Files move files/directories to a destination ```bash mv # rename a file mv ``` ## Compare Files check the difference between two files ```bash diff ``` ## Symbolic Links create a link pointing to target file (shortcut) ```bash ln -s ``` ---

:briefcase: Permission Manipulation

 Every file on a Linux system has read, write & execute permissions defined per user, group & other ## Accessors [`u`]ser — who created the file [`g`]roup — set of users with common permissions [`o`]ther — anyone who isn't user or in groups [`a`]ll — all of the above (`ugo`) ## Permissions [`r`]ead — view file contents [`w`]rite — edit/modify file e[`x`]ecute — run executable or view directory none - no rights (`-`) ## Symbolic vs Absolute symbolic ｜ absolute, read, write & execute per user, group & other command sequence table • | u | g | o | ug | uo | go | a --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- **r** | `u=r`｜`400` | `g=r`｜`040` | `o=r`｜`004` | `ug=r`｜`440` | `uo=r`｜`404` | `go=r`｜`044` | `a=r`｜`444` **w** | `u=w`｜`200` | `g=w`｜`020` | `o=w`｜`002` | `ug=w`｜`220` | `uo=w`｜`202` | `go=w`｜`022` | `a=w`｜`222` **x** | `u=x`｜`100` | `g=x`｜`010` | `o=x`｜`001` | `ug=x`｜`110` | `uo=x`｜`101` | `go=x`｜`011` | `a=x`｜`111` **rw** | `u=rw`｜`600` | `g=rw`｜`060` | `o=rw`｜`006` | `ug=rw`｜`660` | `uo=rw`｜`606` | `go=rw`｜`066` | `a=rw`｜`666` **rx** | `u=rx`｜`500` | `g=rx`｜`050` | `o=rx`｜`005` | `ug=rx`｜`550` | `uo=rx`｜`505` | `go=rx`｜`055` | `a=rx`｜`555` **wx** | `u=wx`｜`300` | `g=wx`｜`030` | `o=wx`｜`003` | `ug=wx`｜`330` | `uo=wx`｜`303` | `go=wx`｜`033` | `a=wx`｜`333` **rwx** | `u=rwx`｜`700` | `g=rwx`｜`070` | `o=rwx`｜`007` | `ug=rwx`｜`770` | `uo=rwx`｜`707` | `go=rwx`｜`007` | `a=rwx`｜`777` ## Change Ownership set a user (and group) to a file ```bash chown [:group] ``` ## Set Permissions define permissions per user, group & other of file ```bash chmod ```

:package: Packaging

 Installing programs in Linux is a bit different than on Windows. When you need a specific program, it's best to use your system's package manager to install software. Package managers handle dependencies, upgrading, querying, installing, removing, listing packages and much more. They severly reduce the complexity of installing software for the end-user ## Sync Package List upgrade packages & sync repositories ```bash # arch linux pacman -Syu # debian apt update && apt upgrade ``` ## Query Packages search for a package ```bash # arch linux pacman -Ss [package] # debian apt search [package] ``` ## Install Packages install a package ```bash # arch linux pacman -S # debian apt install ``` ## Delete Packages uninstall a package ```bash # arch linux pacman -Runss # debian apt purge ``` ## List Installed list installed packages ```bash # arch linux pacman -Qe # debian apt list --installed ``` ## Package Information ```bash # arch linux pacman -Si # debian apt info ```

:octocat: Source Control

 Using below methods to clone an existing (empty) repository, means we can skip several unecessary, over-complicated commands ## Clone Repositories download a repositories contents (& .git) ```bash git clone https://github.com// # or a specific branch git clone -b --single-branch https://github.com// ``` ﹡ _although this command uses github as a refrence, any suitable version control software should work as intended_ ## Stage Files add new or changed files to the staging area ```bash git add . ``` ## Commit Files snapshot staged files with a message ```bash git commit -m 'initial commit' ``` ## Upload Files upload staged files ```bash git push ```