Some Useful Commands for Ubuntu and Kali Linux.
Below are the list of commands:-
| Commands | Command usages and details |
|---|---|
| $apropos | Search Help manual pages (man -k) |
| $apt-get | Search for and install software packages (Debian) |
| $aptitude | Search for and install software packages (Debian) |
| $aspell | Spell Checker |
| $awk | Find and Replace text, database sort/validate/index |
| $basename | Strip directory and suffix from filenames |
| $bash | GNU Bourne-Again Shell |
| $bc | Arbitrary precision calculator language |
| $bg | Send to background |
| $break | Exit from a loop |
| $builtin | Run a shell builtin |
| $bzip2 | Compress or decompress named files |
| $cal | Display a calendar |
| $case | Conditionally perform a command |
| $cat | Concatenate and print (display) the content of files |
| $cd | Change Directory |
| $cfdisk | Partition table manipulator for Linux |
| $chgrp | Change group ownership |
| $chmod | Change access permissions |
| $chown | Change file owner and group |
| $chroot | Run a command with a different root directory |
| $chkconfig | System services (runlevel) |
| $cksum | Print CRC checksum and byte counts |
| $clear | Clear terminal screen |
| $cmp | Compare two files |
| $comm | Compare two sorted files line by line |
| $command | Run a command – ignoring shell functions |
| $continue | Resume the next iteration of a loop |
| $cp | Copy one or more files to another location |
| $cron | Daemon to execute scheduled commands |
| $crontab | Schedule a command to run at a later time |
| $csplit | Split a file into context-determined pieces |
| $cut | Divide a file into several parts |
| $date | Display or change the date and time |
| $dc | Desk Calculator |
| $dd | Convert and copy a file, write disk headers, boot records |
| $ddrescue | Data recovery tool |
| $declare | Declare variables and give them attributes |
| $df | Display free disk space |
| $diff | Display the differences between two files |
| $diff3 | Show differences among three files |
| $dig | DNS lookup |
| $dir | Briefly list directory contents |
| $dircolors | Colour setup for `ls’ |
| $dirname | Convert a full pathname to just a path |
| $dirs | Display list of remembered directories |
| $dmesg | Print kernel & driver messages |
| $du | Estimate file space usage |
| $echo | Display message on screen |
| $egrep | Search files for lines that match an extended expression |
| $eject | Eject removable media |
| $enable | Enable and disable builtin shell commands |
| $env | Environment variables |
| $ethtool | Ethernet card settings |
| $eval | Evaluate several commands/arguments |
| $exec | Execute a command |
| $exit | Exit the shell |
| $expect | Automate arbitrary applications accessed over a terminal |
| $expand | Convert tabs to spaces |
| $export | Set an environment variable |
| $expr | Evaluate expressions |
| $false | Do nothing, unsuccessfully |
| $fdformat | Low-level format a floppy disk |
| $fdisk | Partition table manipulator for Linux |
| $fg | Send job to foreground |
| $fgrep | Search files for lines that match a fixed string |
| $file | Determine file type |
| $find | Search for files that meet a desired criteria |
| $fmt | Reformat paragraph text |
| $fold | Wrap text to fit a specified width |
| $for | Expand words, and execute commands |
| $format | Format disks or tapes |
| $free | Display memory usage |
| $fsck | File system consistency check and repair |
| $ftp | File Transfer Protocol |
| $function | Define Function Macros |
| $fuser | Identify/kill the process that is accessing a file |
| $gawk | Find and Replace text within files |
| $getopts | Parse positional parameters |
| $grep | Search files for lines that match a given pattern |
| $groupadd | Add a user security group |
| $groupdel | Delete a group |
| $groupmod | Modify a group |
| $groups | Print group names a user is in |
| $gzip | Compress or decompress named files |
| $hash | Remember the full pathname of a name argument |
| $head | Output the first part of files |
| $help | Display help for a built-in command |
| $history | Command History |
| $hostname | Print or set system name |
| $iconv | Convert the character set of a file |
| $id | Print user and group id’s |
| $if | Conditionally perform a command |
| $ifconfig | Configure a network interface |
| $ifdown | Stop a network interface |
| $ifup | Start a network interface up |
| $import | Capture an X server screen and save the image to file |
| $install | Copy files and set attributes |
| $jobs | List active jobs |
| $join | Join lines on a common field |
| $kill | Stop a process from running |
| $killall | Kill processes by name |
| $less | Display output one screen at a time |
| $let | Perform arithmetic on shell variables |
| $ln | Create a symbolic link to a file |
| $local | Create variables |
| $locate | Find files |
| $logname | Print current login name |
| $logout | Exit a login shell |
| $look | Display lines beginning with a given string |
| $lpc | Line printer control program |
| $lpr | Off line print |
| $lprint | Print a file |
| $lprintd | Abort a print job |
| $lprintq | List the print queue |
| $lprm | Remove jobs from the print queue |
| $ls | List information about files |
| $lsof | List open files |
| $make | Recompile a group of programs |
| $man | Help manual |
| $mkdir | Create new folders |
| $mkfifo | Make FIFOs (named pipes) |
| $mkisofs | Create an hybrid ISO9660/JOLIET/HFS filesystem |
| $mknod | Make block or character special files |
| $more | Display output one screen at a time |
| $mount | Mount a file system |
| $mtools | Manipulate MS-DOS files |
| $mtr | Network diagnostics (traceroute/ping) |
| $mv | Move or rename files or directories |
| $mmv | Mass Move and rename files |
| $netstat | Networking information |
| $nice | Set the priority of a command or job |
| $nl | Number lines and write files |
| $nohup | Run a command immune to hangups |
| $notify-send | Send desktop notifications |
| $nslookup | Query Internet name servers interactively |
| $open | Open a file in its default application |
| $op | Operator access |
| $passwd | Modify a user password |
| $paste | Merge lines of files |
| $pathchk | Check file name portability |
| $ping | Test a network connection |
| $pkill | Stop processes from running |
| $popd | Restore the previous value of the current directory |
| $pr | Prepare files for printing |
| $printcap | Printer capability database |
| $printenv | Print environment variables |
| $printf | Format and print data |
| $ps | Process status |
| $pushd | Save and then change the current directory |
| $pwd | Print Working Directory |
| $quota | Display disk usage and limits |
| $quotacheck | Scan a file system for disk usage |
| $quotactl | Set disk quotas |
| $ram | ram disk device |
| $rcp | Copy files between two machines |
| $read | Read a line from standard input |
| $readarray | Read from stdin into an array variable |
| $readonly | Mark variables/functions as readonly |
| $reboot | Reboot the system |
| $rename | Rename files |
| $renice | Alter priority of running processes |
| $remsync | Synchronize remote files via email |
| $return | Exit a shell function |
| $rev | Reverse lines of a file |
| $rm | Remove files |
| $rmdir | Remove folders |
| $rsync | Remote file copy (Synchronize file trees) |
| $screen | Multiplex terminal, run remote shells via ssh |
| $scp | Secure copy (remote file copy) |
| $sdiff | Merge two files interactively |
| $sed | Stream Editor |
| $select | Accept keyboard input |
| $seq | Print numeric sequences |
| $set | Manipulate shell variables and functions |
| $sftp | Secure File Transfer Program |
| $shift | Shift positional parameters |
| $shopt | Shell Options |
| $shutdown | Shutdown or restart linux |
| $sleep | Delay for a specified time |
| $slocate | Find files |
| $sort | Sort text files |
| $source | Run commands from a file |
| $split | Split a file into fixed-size pieces |
| $ssh | Secure Shell client (remote login program) |
| $strace | Trace system calls and signals |
| $su | Substitute user identity(superuser) |
| $sudo | Execute a command as another/root user |
| $sum | Print a checksum for a file |
| $suspend | Suspend execution of this shell |
| $symlink | Make a new name for a file |
| $sync | Synchronize data on disk with memory |
| $tail | Output the last part of file |
| $tar | Tape Archiver |
| $tee | Redirect output to multiple files |
| $test | Evaluate a conditional expression |
| $time | Measure Program running time |
| $times | User and system times |
| $touch | Change file timestamps |
| $top | List processes running on the system |
| $traceroute | Trace Route to Host |
| $trap | Run a command when a signal is set(bourne) |
| $tr | Translate, squeeze, and/or delete characters |
| $true | Do nothing, successfully |
| $tsort | Topological sort |
| $tty | Print filename of terminal on stdin |
| $type | Describe a command |
| $ulimit | Limit user resources |
| $umask | Users file creation mask |
| $umount | Unmount a device |
| $unalias | Remove an alias |
| $uname | Print system information |
| $unexpand | Convert spaces to tabs |
| $uniq | Uniquify files |
| $units | Convert units from one scale to another |
| $unset | Remove variable or function names |
| $unshar | Unpack shell archive scripts |
| $until | Execute commands (until error) |
| $uptime | Show uptime |
| $useradd | Create new user account |
| $usermod | Modify user account |
| $users | List users currently logged in |
| $uuencode | Encode a binary file |
| $uudecode | Decode a file created by uuencode |
| $v | Verbosely list directory contents (`ls -l -b’) |
| $vdir | Verbosely list directory contents (`ls -l -b’) |
| $vi | Text Editor |
| $vmstat | Report virtual memory statistics |
| $wait | Wait for a process to complete |
| $watch | Execute/display a program periodically |
| $wc | Print byte, word, and line counts |
| $whereis | Search the user’s $path, man pages and source files for a program |
| $which | Search the user’s $path for a program file |
| $while | Execute commands |
| $who | Print all usernames currently logged in |
| $whoami | Print the current user id and name (`id -un’) |
| $wget | Retrieve web pages or files via HTTP, HTTPS or FTP |
| $write | Send a message to another user |
| $xargs | Execute utility, passing constructed argument lists |
| $xdg-open | Open a file or URL in the user’s preferred application |
| $yes | Print a string until interrupted |