What are the Basic Unix Commands?

The total number of Unix commands is immense. No normal user or system administrator would ever need to know them all.


The Unix commands available to you will vary based upon several factors:

The version of Unix you are using (FreeBSD, Linux, Solaris, AIX, HP-UX, OpenBSD, etc...)
The Unix shell you are using (sh, csh, tcsh, ksh, bash, etc...)
The packages installed on the system and the way the system is configured
Your access level on the system
In this FAQ, I will address only Bash shell commands, as all other major shells can now be considered obsolete.

This list of basic Unix commands will get you started using and learning Unix.

Use the Unix `man` command to learn more about any of these commands.

Basic Unix Commands
Unix Command Description
ls List directory contents
cp Copy files
rm Remove directory entries
file Determine file type
find Walk a file hierarchy
which Locate a program file in the user's path
whereis Locate programs
gcc, g++ GNU project C and C++ Compiler
gdb The GNU Debugger
less View the contents of a text file
diff Find differences between two files
cmp Compare two files
vi Text editor
chmod Change file modes
man Display the on-line manual pages
mv Move and rename files
ispell Interactive spelling checker
biff Be notified if mail arrives and who it is from
lpr Print a file
lpq Show the print queue
ftp Transfer a file to another Unix system
logout Quit using the system
pwd Print working directory name
cd Change working directory
ln Make a file link
mkdir Make directories
rmdir Remove directories
chmod Change file modes
quota Display disk usage and limits
history Display a list of recent commands
ps Show the status of processes
kill Stop a running processes
passwd Change your password
alias Create a command alias
unalias Delete a command alias
export Set an environment variable
script Record your terminal session to a file
bg Send a job to the background
fg Bring a job to the foreground
jobs Print a list of current jobs

The basic Unix commands are fairly standard across the various Unix platforms, although command arguments differ at times. In addition, the basic Unix commands vary between Unix shells.