Linux Commands I Wish I Knew When I Started

UyiGodfrey — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 12:24:41 +0000

When I first started learning DevOps, the Linux terminal felt intimidating. I didn’t know where to begin or what commands to trust. But after some trial and error, a few simple commands became my everyday tools — and they made all the difference.

Here are the Linux basics that helped me survive and thrive:

ls — List files Use this to see what's in the current folder. It's like opening a folder in your file explorer.

ls

Tip:

ls -l shows details (like size and date).
ls -a reveals hidden files.

cd — Change directory Move around your file system easily. Think of it like “entering” a folder.

cd foldername

Useful shortcuts:

cd .. goes back one level
cd / takes you to the root directory
cd ~ brings you to your home folder

pwd — Show where you are This command tells you your exact location in the file system.

pwd

It’s very useful when you're deep in folders and need to double-check your path.

touch and mkdir — Create files and folders Quick ways to build your environment.

touch filename.txt      # creates a file
mkdir myfolder          # creates a new directory

These are great for practice or creating test setups.

sudo — Run with admin power (carefully!) Some commands need special privileges. sudo gives you those powers (like an admin mode).

sudo command

Example:

sudo apt update

⚠️ Be careful with sudo. It can change important system files.

Bonus: Combine them like a pro
You can chain commands to get more done in one line. For example:

sudo mkdir /opt/myfolder && cd /opt/myfolder

This creates a folder with superuser access and instantly moves you into it.

DEV Community: UyiGodfrey

Linux Commands I Wish I Knew When I Started