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Here are some basic commands
[[w:Unix-like|Unix-like]] [[operating system]]s require a working knowledge of several basic commands. [[w:Unix|Unix®]], [[w:Linux|Linux]], [[w:Berkeley Software Distribution|BSD]] and such use a ubiquitous set of these based on the [[w:Single UNIX Specification|Single UNIX Specification]]. Learning to operate a [[command line interface]] is a key skill in learning [[Linux]] and [[BSD]].
== Basic commands ==
{| class=" wikitable sortable"
|+ IEEE Std 1003.1-2001 utilities
|-
!style="width:10em;"| Name
!style="width:15em;"| Category
!style=""| Description
!style="width:5em;;"| First appeared
|-
| [[w:admin (Unix)|admin]]
| [[w:Source Code Control System|SCCS]]
| Create and administer [[w:Source Code Control System|SCCS]] files
|
|-
| [[w:Alias (command)|alias]]
| Misc
| Define or display aliases
|
|-
| [[w:ar (Unix)|ar]]
| Misc
| Create and maintain [[w:Library (computing)|library]] archives
|
|-
| [[w:asa (Unix)|asa]]
| Text Processing
| Interpret carriage-control characters
|
|-
| [[w:at (Unix)|at]]
| Process Management
| Execute commands at a later time
| Version 7 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:AWK (programming language)|awk]]
| Text processing
| Pattern scanning and processing language
| Version 7 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:basename|basename]]
| Filesystem
| Return non-directory portion of a pathname
|
|-
| [[w:batch (Unix)|batch]]
| Process Management
| Schedule commands to be executed in a batch queue
|
|-
| [[w:bc programming language|bc]]
| Misc
| [[w:Arbitrary-precision arithmetic|Arbitrary-precision arithmetic]] language
|
|-
| [[w:bg (Unix)|bg]]
| Process Management
| Run jobs in the background
|
|-
| [[w:break (Unix)|break]]
| Shell programming
| Exit from [[w:for loop|for]], [[w:while loop|while]], or [[w:until|until]] [[w:Control flow#Loops|loop]]
|
|-
| [[w:c99_(Unix)|c99]]
| C Programming
| [[w:compiler|Compile]] standard [[w:C (programming language)|C]] programs
|
|-
| [[w:cal (Unix)|cal]]
| Misc
| Print a calendar
| Version 5 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:cat (Unix)|cat]]
| Filesystem
| Concatenate and print files
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:cd (command)|cd]]
| Filesystem
| Change the working directory
|
|-
| [[w:cflow|cflow]]
| C Programming
| Generate a C-language [[w:flowgraph|flowgraph]]
|
|-
| [[w:chgrp|chgrp]]
| Filesystem
| Change the file group ownership
|
|-
| [[w:chmod|chmod]]
| Filesystem
| Change the file modes/attributes/permissions
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:chown|chown]]
| Filesystem
| Change the file ownership
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:cksum|cksum]]
| Filesystem
| Write file [[w:checksums|checksums]] and sizes
| 4.4BSD
|-
| [[w:cmp (Unix)|cmp]]
| Filesystem
| Compare two files
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:comm|comm]]
| Text Processing
| Select or reject lines common to two files
| Version 4 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:command (Unix)|command]]
| Shell Programming
| Execute a simple command
|
|-
| [[w:compress|compress]]
| Filesystem
| Compress data
| 4.3BSD
|-
| [[w:continue (Unix)|continue]]
| Shell programming
| Continue [[w:for_loop|for]], [[w:while_loop|while]], or [[w:until|until]] [[w:Control_flow#Loops|loop]]
|
|-
| [[w:cp (Unix)|cp]]
| Filesystem
| Copy files
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:crontab|crontab]]
| Misc
| Schedule periodic background work
|
|-
| [[w:csplit|csplit]]
| Text Processing
| Split files based on context
| PWB UNIX
|-
| [[w:ctags|ctags]]
| C Programming
| Create a tags file
| 3.0BSD
|-
| [[w:cut (Unix)|cut]]
| Shell Programming
| Cut out selected fields of each line of a file
|
|-
| [[w:cxref|cxref]]
| C Programming
| Generate a [[w:C (programming language)|C-language]] program cross-reference table
|
|-
| [[w:date (Unix)|date]]
| Misc
| Write the date and time
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:dd (Unix)|dd]]
| Filesystem
| Convert and copy a file
|
|-
| [[w:delta (Unix)|delta]]
| SCCS
| Make a delta (change) to an SCCS file
|
|-
| [[w:df (Unix)|df]]
| Filesystem
| Report free disk space
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:diff|diff]]
| Text processing
| Compare two files
|
|-
| [[w:dirname|dirname]]
| Filesystem
| Return the directory portion of a pathname
|
|-
| [[w:dot (Unix)|dot]]
| Shell programming
| Execute commands in the current environment
|
|-
| [[w:du (Unix)|du]]
| Filesystem
| Estimate file space usage
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:echo (command)|echo]]
| Shell programming
| Write arguments to standard output
|
|-
| [[w:ed (text editor)|ed]]
| Text processing
| The standard text editor
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:env (shell)|env]]
| Misc
| Set the environment for command invocation
|
|-
| [[w:eval]]
| Shell programming
| Construct command by concatenating arguments
|
|-
| [[w:ex (editor)|ex]]
| Text processing
| Text editor
| BSD
|-
| [[w:exec (operating system)|exec]]
| Shell programming
| Execute commands and open, close, or copy [[w:file descriptors|file descriptors]]
|
|-
| [[w:exit (command)|exit]]
| Shell programming
| Cause the shell to exit
|
|-
| [[w:expand (Unix)|expand]]
| Text Processing
| Convert tabs to spaces
| 3.0BSD
|-
| [[w:Environment variable#UNIX|export]]
| Misc
| Set the export attribute for variables
|
|-
| [[w:expr|expr]]
| Shell Programming
| Evaluate arguments as an expression
|
|-
| [[w:false (Unix)|false]]
| Shell programming
| Return false value
|
|-
| [[w:fc (Unix)|fc]]
| Misc
| Process the command history list
|
|-
| [[w:fg (Unix)|fg]]
| Process Management
| Run jobs in the foreground
|
|-
| [[w:file (Unix)|file]]
| Filesystem
| Determine file type
| Version 4 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:find|find]]
| Filesystem
| Find files
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:fold (Unix)|fold]]
| Text processing
| Filter for folding lines
|
|-
| [[w:fort77|fort77]]
| C Programming
| [[w:FORTRAN]] compiler
|
|-
| [[w:fuser (Unix)|fuser]]
| Process Management
| List [[w:Process_identifier|process IDs]] of all processes that have one or more files open
|
|-
| [[w:gencat|gencat]]
| Misc
| Generate a formatted message catalog
|
|-
| [[w:get (Unix)|get]]
| SCCS
| Get a version of an SCCS file
|
|-
| [[w:getconf|getconf]]
| Misc
| Get configuration values
|
|-
| [[w:getopts|getopts]]
| Shell Programming
| Parse utility options
|
|-
| [[w:grep|grep]]
| Misc
| Search text for a pattern
|
|-
| [[w:hash (Unix)|hash]]
| Misc
| Remember or report utility locations
|
|-
| [[w:head (Unix)|head]]
| Text processing
| Copy the first part of files
| PWB UNIX
|-
| [[w:iconv|iconv]]
| Text processing
| Codeset conversion
|
|-
| [[w:id (Unix)|id]]
| Misc
| Return user identity
| 4.4BSD
|-
| [[w:ipcrm|ipcrm]]
| Misc
| Remove a message queue, semaphore set, or shared memory segment identifier
|
|-
| [[w:ipcs|ipcs]]
| Misc
| Report interprocess communication facilities status
|
|-
| [[w:jobs (Unix)|jobs]]
| Process Management
| Display status of jobs in the current session
|
|-
| [[w:join (Unix)|join]]
| Text Processing
| [[w:Relational database|Relational database]] operator
|
|-
| [[w:kill (Unix)|kill]]
| Process Management
| Terminate or signal processes
| Version 3 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:lex programming tool|lex]]
| C Programming
| Generate programs for [[w:Lexical analyzer|lexical tasks]]
|
|-
| [[w:link (Unix)|link]]
| Filesystem
| Call link function
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:ln (Unix)|ln]]
| Filesystem
| Link files
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:locale|locale]]
| Misc
| Get locale-specific information
|
|-
| [[w:localedef|localedef]]
| Misc
| Define locale environment
|
|-
| [[w:logger (Unix)|logger]]
| Shell programming
| Log messages
|
|-
| [[w:logname|logname]]
| Misc
| Return the user's login name
| 4.4BSD
|-
| [[w:lp (Unix)|lp]]
| Text Processing
| Send files to a printer
|
|-
| [[w:ls|ls]]
| Filesystem
| List directory contents
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:M4 (computer language)|m4]]
| Misc
| Macro processor
| PWB UNIX
|-
| [[w:mailx|mailx]]
| Misc
| Process messages
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:make (software)|make]]
| Programming
| Maintain, update, and regenerate groups of programs
|
|-
| [[w:Manual page (Unix)|man]]
| Misc
| Display system documentation
|
|-
| [[w:mesg|mesg]]
| Misc
| Permit or deny messages
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:mkdir|mkdir]]
| Filesystem
| Make directories
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:mkfifo|mkfifo]]
| Filesystem
| Make [[w:FIFO|FIFO]] special files
| 4.4BSD
|-
| [[w:more (command)|more]]
| Text processing
| Display files on a page-by-page basis
|
|-
| [[w:mv|mv]]
| Filesystem
| Move files
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:newgrp|newgrp]]
| Misc
| Change to a new group
| Version 6 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:nice (Unix)|nice]]
| Process Management
| Invoke a utility with an altered nice value
| Version 4 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:nl (Unix)|nl]]
| Text Processing
| Line numbering filter
|
|-
| [[w:nm (Unix)|nm]]
| C Programming
| Write the name list of an [[w:object file|object file]]
|
|-
| [[w:nohup|nohup]]
| Process Management
| Invoke a utility immune to [[w:SIGHUP|hangups]]
|
|-
| [[w:od (Unix)|od]]
| Misc
| Dump files in various formats
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:paste (Unix)|paste]]
| Text processing
| Merge corresponding or subsequent lines of files
| Version 32V AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:patch (Unix)|patch]]
| Text processing
| Apply changes to files
|
|-
| [[w:pathchk|pathchk]]
| Filesystem
| Check pathnames
|
|-
| [[w:pax (Unix)|pax]]
| Misc
| Portable archive interchange
| 4.4BSD
|-
| [[w:pr (Unix)|pr]]
| Text processing
| Print files
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:printf (Unix)|printf]]
| Shell programming
| Write formatted output
| 4.3BSD-Reno
|-
| [[w:prs|prs]]
| SCCS
| Print an SCCS file
|
|-
| [[w:ps (Unix)|ps]]
| Process Management
| Report process status
| Version 4 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:pwd|pwd]]
| Filesystem
| print working directory - Return working directory name
|
|-
| [[w:qalter|qalter]]
| Batch Utilities
| Alter batch job
|
|-
| [[w:qdel|qdel]]
| Batch Utilities
| Delete batch jobs
|
|-
| [[w:qhold|qhold]]
| Batch Utilities
| Hold batch jobs
|
|-
| [[w:qmove|qmove]]
| Batch Utilities
| Move batch jobs
|
|-
| [[w:qmsg|qmsg]]
| Batch Utilities
| Send message to batch jobs
|
|-
| [[w:qrerun|qrerun]]
| Batch Utilities
| Rerun batch jobs
|
|-
| [[w:qrls|qrls]]
| Batch Utilities
| Release batch jobs
|
|-
| [[w:qselect|qselect]]
| Batch Utilities
| Select batch jobs
|
|-
| [[w:qsig|qsig]]
| Batch Utilities
| Signal batch jobs
|
|-
| [[w:qstat (Unix)|qstat]]
| Batch Utilities
| Show status of batch jobs
|
|-
| [[w:qsub|qsub]]
| Batch Utilities
| Submit a script
|
|-
| [[w:read (Unix)|read]]
| Shell Programming
| Read a line from standard input
|
|-
| [[w:readonly|readonly]]
| Misc
| Set the readonly attribute for variables
|
|-
| [[w:renice|renice]]
| Process Management
| Set [[w:nice values|nice values]] of running processes
| 4.0BSD
|-
| [[w:return (Unix)|return]]
| Shell Programming
| Return from a function
|
|-
| [[w:rm (Unix)|rm]]
| Filesystem
| Remove directory entries
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:rmdel|rmdel]]
| SCCS
| Remove a delta from an SCCS file
|
|-
| [[w:rmdir|rmdir]]
| Filesystem
| Remove directories
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:sact (Unix)|sact]]
| SCCS
| Print current SCCS file-editing activity
|
|-
| [[w:sccs (Unix)|sccs]]
| [[w:Source Code Control_System|SCCS]]
| Front end for the SCCS subsystem
|
|-
| [[w:sed|sed]]
| Text processing
| Stream editor
| Version 7 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:set (Unix)|set]]
| Misc
| Set or unset options and positional parameters
|
|-
| [[w:bourne shell|sh]]
| Shell programming
| [[w:shell (computing)|Shell]], the standard command language interpreter
| Version 7 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:shift (Unix)|shift]]
| Shell programming
| Shift positional parameters
|
|-
| [[w:sleep (Unix)|sleep]]
| Shell programming
| Suspend execution for an interval
| Version 4 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:sort (Unix)|sort]]
| Text Processing
| Sort, merge, or sequence check text files
|
|-
| [[w:split (Unix)|split]]
| Misc
| Split files into pieces
| Version 3 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:strings (Unix)|strings]]
| C Programming
| Find printable strings in files
|
|-
| [[w:strip (Unix)|strip]]
| C Programming
| Remove unnecessary information from executable files
|
|-
| [[w:stty|stty]]
| Misc
| Set the options for a terminal
|
|-
| [[w:tabs (Unix)|tabs]]
| Misc
| Set terminal tabs
| PWB UNIX
|-
| [[w:tail (Unix)|tail]]
| Text processing
| Copy the last part of a file
| PWB UNIX
|-
| [[w:talk (Unix)|talk]]
| Misc
| Talk to another user
| 4.2BSD
|-
| [[w:tee (command)|tee]]
| Shell programming
| Duplicate [[w:standard input|standard input]]
|
|-
| [[w:test (Unix)|test]]
| Shell programming
| Evaluate [[w:expression (programming)|expression]]
|
|-
| [[w:time (Unix)|time]]
| Process Management
| Time a simple command
| Version 3 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:times (Unix)|times]]
| Process Management
| Write process times
|
|-
| [[w:touch (Unix)|touch]]
| Filesystem
| Change file access and modification times
| Version 7 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:tput|tput]]
| Misc
| Change [[w:terminal|terminal]] characteristics
| System V
|-
| [[w:tr_(Unix)|tr]]
| Text processing
| Translate characters
| Version 4 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:trap (Unix)|trap]]
| Process Management
| Trap signals
|
|-
| [[w:true (Unix)|true]]
| Shell programming
| Return true value
|
|-
| [[w:tsort (Unix)|tsort]]
| Text processing
| Topological sort
| Version 7 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:tty (Unix)|tty]]
| Misc
| Return user's [[w:terminal|terminal]] name
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:type (Unix)|type]]
| Misc
| Displays how a name would be interpreted if used as a command
|
|-
| [[w:ulimit|ulimit]]
| Misc
| Set or report file size limit
|
|-
| [[w:umask|umask]]
| Misc
| Get or set the file mode creation mask
|
|-
| [[w:unalias|unalias]]
| Misc
| Remove alias definitions
|
|-
| [[w:uname|uname]]
| Misc
| Return system name
| PWB UNIX
|-
| [[w:uncompress|uncompress]]
| Misc
| Expand compressed data
| 4.3BSD
|-
| [[w:unexpand|unexpand]]
| Text Processing
| Convert spaces to tabs
| 3.0BSD
|-
| [[w:unget|unget]]
| SCCS
| Undo a previous get of an SCCS file
|
|-
| [[w:uniq|uniq]]
| Text Processing
| Report or filter out repeated lines in a file
| Version 3 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:unlink (Unix)|unlink]]
| Filesystem
| Call the unlink function
| [[w:Version 1 AT&T UNIX|Version 1 AT&T UNIX]]
|-
| [[w:unset|unset]]
| Misc
| Unset values and attributes of variables and functions
|
|-
| [[w:uucp|uucp]]
| Network
| System-to-system copy
|
|-
| [[w:uudecode|uudecode]]
| Network
| Decode a binary file
| 4.0BSD
|-
| [[w:uuencode|uuencode]]
| Network
| Encode a binary file
| 4.0BSD
|-
| [[w:uustat|uustat]]
| Network
| [[w:uucp|uucp]] status inquiry and job control
|
|-
| [[w:uux (Unix)|uux]]
| Process Management
| Remote command execution
|
|-
| [[w:val (Unix)|val]]
| SCCS
| Validate SCCS files
|
|-
| [[w:vi|vi]]
| Text processing
| Screen-oriented (visual) display editor
| BSD
|-
| [[w:wait (command)|wait]]
| Process Management
| Await process completion
|
|-
| [[w:wc (Unix)|wc]]
| Text processing
| Word, line, and byte or character count
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:what (Unix)|what]]
| SCCS
| Identify SCCS files
|
|-
| [[w:who (Unix)|who]]
| System Administration
| Display who is on the system
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:write (Unix)|write]]
| Misc
| Write to another user's terminal
| Version 1 AT&T UNIX
|-
| [[w:xargs|xargs]]
| Shell Programming
| Construct argument lists and invoke utility
| PWB UNIX
|-
| [[w:yacc|yacc]]
| C Programming
| Yet another [[w:compiler|compiler]] compiler
| PWB UNIX
|-
| [[w:zcat|zcat]]
| Text Processing
| Expand and concatenate data
|
|-
|}


* ls -list files
=== Unix-like ===
* su -substitute user
Like [[w:Richard Stallman|RMS]] says, "GNU means GNU's Not Unix". Only [[w:Unix|Unix®]] is really Unix. [[Linux]] and the [[BSD]]s are definitely [[w:Unix-like|Unix-''like'']] though neither one is compliant with the above-mentioned "official" specification. What we present here is based on a set of tools that have been around for a long time. We will be looking at '''generalizations''' that behave in similar ways in ''most'' *nix environments.
* $ -shell variable
==== BusyBox ====
* touch -make file and update timestamps
[[w:BusyBox|BusyBox]] is a good example of a more basic collection of utilities and are well suited to the novice. They can be found in [[w:Mini Linux|Mini Linux]] distributions, such as [[Tiny Core Linux]].
* rm -delete file
 
* mkdir -make directory
'''Exercise 1''' Go to [http://tinycorelinux.com/ TinyCoreLinux.com] and check it out.
* !touch -repeat last touch command
 
* cp -copy
==== GNU Core Utilities ====
* mv - move or rename file
The [[w:GNU Core Utilities|GNU Core Utilities]] are much more extensive and not for the faint at heart. They are found on most full-sized [[BSD]] and [[Linux]] systems in their full glory.
* top -list top 25 running processes
== Command line arguments ==
* who -list which users are logged on
This section is under development.
* w -show what users are doing
* [[ln]] - create symbolic links


[[Category:Linux]]
[[Category:Linux]]
{{?}}

Latest revision as of 04:28, 19 August 2009

Unix-like operating systems require a working knowledge of several basic commands. Unix®, Linux, BSD and such use a ubiquitous set of these based on the Single UNIX Specification. Learning to operate a command line interface is a key skill in learning Linux and BSD.

Basic commands

IEEE Std 1003.1-2001 utilities
Name Category Description First appeared
admin SCCS Create and administer SCCS files
alias Misc Define or display aliases
ar Misc Create and maintain library archives
asa Text Processing Interpret carriage-control characters
at Process Management Execute commands at a later time Version 7 AT&T UNIX
awk Text processing Pattern scanning and processing language Version 7 AT&T UNIX
basename Filesystem Return non-directory portion of a pathname
batch Process Management Schedule commands to be executed in a batch queue
bc Misc Arbitrary-precision arithmetic language
bg Process Management Run jobs in the background
break Shell programming Exit from for, while, or until loop
c99 C Programming Compile standard C programs
cal Misc Print a calendar Version 5 AT&T UNIX
cat Filesystem Concatenate and print files Version 1 AT&T UNIX
cd Filesystem Change the working directory
cflow C Programming Generate a C-language flowgraph
chgrp Filesystem Change the file group ownership
chmod Filesystem Change the file modes/attributes/permissions Version 1 AT&T UNIX
chown Filesystem Change the file ownership Version 1 AT&T UNIX
cksum Filesystem Write file checksums and sizes 4.4BSD
cmp Filesystem Compare two files Version 1 AT&T UNIX
comm Text Processing Select or reject lines common to two files Version 4 AT&T UNIX
command Shell Programming Execute a simple command
compress Filesystem Compress data 4.3BSD
continue Shell programming Continue for, while, or until loop
cp Filesystem Copy files Version 1 AT&T UNIX
crontab Misc Schedule periodic background work
csplit Text Processing Split files based on context PWB UNIX
ctags C Programming Create a tags file 3.0BSD
cut Shell Programming Cut out selected fields of each line of a file
cxref C Programming Generate a C-language program cross-reference table
date Misc Write the date and time Version 1 AT&T UNIX
dd Filesystem Convert and copy a file
delta SCCS Make a delta (change) to an SCCS file
df Filesystem Report free disk space Version 1 AT&T UNIX
diff Text processing Compare two files
dirname Filesystem Return the directory portion of a pathname
dot Shell programming Execute commands in the current environment
du Filesystem Estimate file space usage Version 1 AT&T UNIX
echo Shell programming Write arguments to standard output
ed Text processing The standard text editor Version 1 AT&T UNIX
env Misc Set the environment for command invocation
w:eval Shell programming Construct command by concatenating arguments
ex Text processing Text editor BSD
exec Shell programming Execute commands and open, close, or copy file descriptors
exit Shell programming Cause the shell to exit
expand Text Processing Convert tabs to spaces 3.0BSD
export Misc Set the export attribute for variables
expr Shell Programming Evaluate arguments as an expression
false Shell programming Return false value
fc Misc Process the command history list
fg Process Management Run jobs in the foreground
file Filesystem Determine file type Version 4 AT&T UNIX
find Filesystem Find files Version 1 AT&T UNIX
fold Text processing Filter for folding lines
fort77 C Programming w:FORTRAN compiler
fuser Process Management List process IDs of all processes that have one or more files open
gencat Misc Generate a formatted message catalog
get SCCS Get a version of an SCCS file
getconf Misc Get configuration values
getopts Shell Programming Parse utility options
grep Misc Search text for a pattern
hash Misc Remember or report utility locations
head Text processing Copy the first part of files PWB UNIX
iconv Text processing Codeset conversion
id Misc Return user identity 4.4BSD
ipcrm Misc Remove a message queue, semaphore set, or shared memory segment identifier
ipcs Misc Report interprocess communication facilities status
jobs Process Management Display status of jobs in the current session
join Text Processing Relational database operator
kill Process Management Terminate or signal processes Version 3 AT&T UNIX
lex C Programming Generate programs for lexical tasks
link Filesystem Call link function Version 1 AT&T UNIX
ln Filesystem Link files Version 1 AT&T UNIX
locale Misc Get locale-specific information
localedef Misc Define locale environment
logger Shell programming Log messages
logname Misc Return the user's login name 4.4BSD
lp Text Processing Send files to a printer
ls Filesystem List directory contents Version 1 AT&T UNIX
m4 Misc Macro processor PWB UNIX
mailx Misc Process messages Version 1 AT&T UNIX
make Programming Maintain, update, and regenerate groups of programs
man Misc Display system documentation
mesg Misc Permit or deny messages Version 1 AT&T UNIX
mkdir Filesystem Make directories Version 1 AT&T UNIX
mkfifo Filesystem Make FIFO special files 4.4BSD
more Text processing Display files on a page-by-page basis
mv Filesystem Move files Version 1 AT&T UNIX
newgrp Misc Change to a new group Version 6 AT&T UNIX
nice Process Management Invoke a utility with an altered nice value Version 4 AT&T UNIX
nl Text Processing Line numbering filter
nm C Programming Write the name list of an object file
nohup Process Management Invoke a utility immune to hangups
od Misc Dump files in various formats Version 1 AT&T UNIX
paste Text processing Merge corresponding or subsequent lines of files Version 32V AT&T UNIX
patch Text processing Apply changes to files
pathchk Filesystem Check pathnames
pax Misc Portable archive interchange 4.4BSD
pr Text processing Print files Version 1 AT&T UNIX
printf Shell programming Write formatted output 4.3BSD-Reno
prs SCCS Print an SCCS file
ps Process Management Report process status Version 4 AT&T UNIX
pwd Filesystem print working directory - Return working directory name
qalter Batch Utilities Alter batch job
qdel Batch Utilities Delete batch jobs
qhold Batch Utilities Hold batch jobs
qmove Batch Utilities Move batch jobs
qmsg Batch Utilities Send message to batch jobs
qrerun Batch Utilities Rerun batch jobs
qrls Batch Utilities Release batch jobs
qselect Batch Utilities Select batch jobs
qsig Batch Utilities Signal batch jobs
qstat Batch Utilities Show status of batch jobs
qsub Batch Utilities Submit a script
read Shell Programming Read a line from standard input
readonly Misc Set the readonly attribute for variables
renice Process Management Set nice values of running processes 4.0BSD
return Shell Programming Return from a function
rm Filesystem Remove directory entries Version 1 AT&T UNIX
rmdel SCCS Remove a delta from an SCCS file
rmdir Filesystem Remove directories Version 1 AT&T UNIX
sact SCCS Print current SCCS file-editing activity
sccs SCCS Front end for the SCCS subsystem
sed Text processing Stream editor Version 7 AT&T UNIX
set Misc Set or unset options and positional parameters
sh Shell programming Shell, the standard command language interpreter Version 7 AT&T UNIX
shift Shell programming Shift positional parameters
sleep Shell programming Suspend execution for an interval Version 4 AT&T UNIX
sort Text Processing Sort, merge, or sequence check text files
split Misc Split files into pieces Version 3 AT&T UNIX
strings C Programming Find printable strings in files
strip C Programming Remove unnecessary information from executable files
stty Misc Set the options for a terminal
tabs Misc Set terminal tabs PWB UNIX
tail Text processing Copy the last part of a file PWB UNIX
talk Misc Talk to another user 4.2BSD
tee Shell programming Duplicate standard input
test Shell programming Evaluate expression
time Process Management Time a simple command Version 3 AT&T UNIX
times Process Management Write process times
touch Filesystem Change file access and modification times Version 7 AT&T UNIX
tput Misc Change terminal characteristics System V
tr Text processing Translate characters Version 4 AT&T UNIX
trap Process Management Trap signals
true Shell programming Return true value
tsort Text processing Topological sort Version 7 AT&T UNIX
tty Misc Return user's terminal name Version 1 AT&T UNIX
type Misc Displays how a name would be interpreted if used as a command
ulimit Misc Set or report file size limit
umask Misc Get or set the file mode creation mask
unalias Misc Remove alias definitions
uname Misc Return system name PWB UNIX
uncompress Misc Expand compressed data 4.3BSD
unexpand Text Processing Convert spaces to tabs 3.0BSD
unget SCCS Undo a previous get of an SCCS file
uniq Text Processing Report or filter out repeated lines in a file Version 3 AT&T UNIX
unlink Filesystem Call the unlink function Version 1 AT&T UNIX
unset Misc Unset values and attributes of variables and functions
uucp Network System-to-system copy
uudecode Network Decode a binary file 4.0BSD
uuencode Network Encode a binary file 4.0BSD
uustat Network uucp status inquiry and job control
uux Process Management Remote command execution
val SCCS Validate SCCS files
vi Text processing Screen-oriented (visual) display editor BSD
wait Process Management Await process completion
wc Text processing Word, line, and byte or character count Version 1 AT&T UNIX
what SCCS Identify SCCS files
who System Administration Display who is on the system Version 1 AT&T UNIX
write Misc Write to another user's terminal Version 1 AT&T UNIX
xargs Shell Programming Construct argument lists and invoke utility PWB UNIX
yacc C Programming Yet another compiler compiler PWB UNIX
zcat Text Processing Expand and concatenate data

Unix-like

Like RMS says, "GNU means GNU's Not Unix". Only Unix® is really Unix. Linux and the BSDs are definitely Unix-like though neither one is compliant with the above-mentioned "official" specification. What we present here is based on a set of tools that have been around for a long time. We will be looking at generalizations that behave in similar ways in most *nix environments.

BusyBox

BusyBox is a good example of a more basic collection of utilities and are well suited to the novice. They can be found in Mini Linux distributions, such as Tiny Core Linux.

Exercise 1 Go to TinyCoreLinux.com and check it out.

GNU Core Utilities

The GNU Core Utilities are much more extensive and not for the faint at heart. They are found on most full-sized BSD and Linux systems in their full glory.

Command line arguments

This section is under development. ?

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