How to use the Linux shell and basic commands

Short answer

The Linux shell interprets your commands. Learn basic utilities to manipulate files, inspect processes, and query the system.

Steps

1. Create a file:

touch file.txt

2. View contents:

cat file.txt

3. Copy and move:

cp file.txt backup.txt
mv file.txt newname.txt

4. Remove:

rm file.txt

5. Disk usage:

df -h
du -sh /var

Tips

• Use man <command> to read the manual.
• history shows past commands; !n reruns command number n.
• Aliases in ~/.bashrc speed up repetitive tasks.

Common issues

• rm is permanent; there is no recycle bin by default.
• Wildcards like * can match more than intended; verify with ls first.