| Miscellaneous Ubuntu Linux Commands |
| Command | Parameter | Description |
| cp | | Copy files. Syntax: cp filename destination |
| cp | -R | Copy files, including files in subdirectories |
| df | | Display empty disk space |
| du | | Display how much disk space files and directories occupies in bytes |
| dmesg | | Displays the hardware information you see during the bootup sequence |
| du | -h | Display how much disk space files and directories occupies in K or MB |
| find | | Find files in the current directory. Syntax: find path filespec |
| find | -iname | Find files, ignoring case, by searching all subdirectories. Syntax: find path -iname filespec find / -iname "*filespec*" will search the whole disc for any files with names including the filespec, ignoring case |
| find | -name | Find files by searching all subdirectories. Syntax: find path -name filespec |
| find | -prune | Find files but not directories. Syntax: find path -prune -name filespec |
| free | | Displays your memory usage. |
| grep | -i | Search for a textstring in a file, case unsensitive. Syntax: grep -i searchstring filespec |
| grep | -l | Search for a textstring in a file, only showing filenames. Syntax: grep -l searchstring filespec |
| head | filename | display first ten lines of file. Syntax: head file |
| kill | -1 | Restart a process. Syntax: kill -1 processid |
| kill | -9 | Brutaly kill a process. Syntax: kill -9 processid |
| kill | -15 | Stop a process. Syntax: kill -15 processid |
| less | | Show the content of a file |
| ls | | List files |
| ls | -a | Lists all files, including hidden files |
| ls | -l | Lists all files using a long format |
| mkdir | | Make a directory |
| mv | | Move files. Syntax: mv filename destination |
| ps | | Show active processes |
| ps | -a | Show all users active processes |
| ps | -u | Show owner and starttime for the active processes |
| ps | -au | show all users' active processes and owners of processes |
| pwd | | Show the name and path to the current directory |
| rm | | Remove files |
| rm | -f | Remove files without asking first |
| rm | -r | Remove files, including files in subdirectories |
| rmdir | | Remove an empty directory |
| rmdir | -p | Remove an empty directory, including empty subdirectories |
| su | | Switch user. Syntax: su user. Just su will ask for the root password |
| su | - | Switch to root and get roots environment and paths |
| tail | filename | Displays the 10 last lines in a file Syntax: tail file |
| talk | | Chat with another user. Syntax: talk user |
| top | | Continuously displays your processes, CPU usage and memory usage |
| uptime | | Tells how long linux has been running |
| whatis | | Tells what a program really does. Syntax: whatis program. Run makewhatis as root to creat database |
| whereis | | Searches for a file. Syntax: whereis filename |
