A-Z CLI command

Unlock the power of the terminal with this ultimate Linux command reference guide!

Whether you're a beginner exploring the Linux shell or a seasoned sysadmin looking for a quick reference, this A–Z command list is your go-to toolkit. Each command is paired with a practical example so you can see exactly how it works in the terminal.

🔍 Why Linux CLI Matters

The Linux command line interface (CLI) offers unparalleled control, efficiency, and automation for system management, development, and troubleshooting. Instead of navigating GUIs, power users automate tasks, manage files, and control processes directly from the terminal.

This blog gives you command-by-command breakdowns from A to Z, covering:

✅ File management

✅ User and group operations

✅ Networking tools

✅ System monitoring

✅ Process control

✅ Text processing

✅ Archiving and compression

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🅐–🅑 Commands

# alias – Create shortcut for commands
alias ll='ls -la'

# at – Schedule a command for later
at 10:00 AM
> echo "Backup started" >> /var/log/backup.log

# awk – Pattern scanning and processing
awk '{print $1}' /etc/passwd

# bg – Resume a job in the background
sleep 1000 &
bg

# basename – Strip directory from file path
basename /home/user/file.txt

🅒–🅓 Commands

# cat – View file content
cat /etc/os-release

# cron – Schedule recurring tasks
crontab -e

# curl – Transfer data from/to a server
curl https://techclick.in

# cut – Extract fields from text
cut -d ':' -f1 /etc/passwd

# date – Display current date and time
date

🅔–🅕 Commands

# echo – Display text
echo "Welcome to Linux!"

# emacs – Text editor (if installed)
emacs hello.txt

# expand – Convert tabs to spaces
expand -t 4 file.txt

# find – Search files
find /var -name "*.log"

# free – Show memory usage
free -h

🅖–🅗 Commands

# grep – Search pattern in files
grep 'root' /etc/passwd

# groupadd – Add a new group
sudo groupadd devteam

# gzip – Compress a file
gzip report.txt

# head – Show first 10 lines
head /var/log/syslog

# history – Show past commands
history

🅘–🅙 Commands

# id – Show user and group IDs
id

# jobs – List background jobs
jobs

🅚–🅛 Commands

# kill – Terminate by PID
kill 1234

# killall – Kill by name
killall firefox

# less – View file content page-wise
less /etc/hosts

# ln – Create symbolic link
ln -s /opt/data.txt ~/data-link

# ls – List files
ls -lh

🅜–🅝 Commands

# man – Show manual
man tar

# mkdir – Create directory
mkdir /tmp/test

# mount – Mount device
sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt

# netstat – Show network status
netstat -tulnp

🅞–🅟 Commands

# open – (MacOS) Open file/app
open file.pdf

# passwd – Change password
passwd

# ping – Check network
ping google.com

# ps – Process status
ps aux

# pwd – Show current directory
pwd

🅠–🅡 Commands

# quota – Show disk limits
quota -v

# read – Read input
read name
echo "Hello, $name"

# reboot – Restart system
sudo reboot

# rename – Rename using pattern
rename 's/.txt/.bak/' *.txt

# rm – Delete files
rm -rf /tmp/test/

🅢 Commands

# scp – Secure file copy
scp file.txt user@host:/home/user/

# screen – Terminal multiplexer
screen -S session1

# sed – Stream editor
sed 's/Linux/Unix/g' file.txt

# seq – Generate numbers
seq 1 10

# sleep – Delay execution
sleep 5

🅣–🅤–🅥 Commands

# tail – Show last lines of file
tail -f /var/log/syslog

# tar – Archive files
tar -czvf archive.tar.gz folder/

# top – Show running processes
top

# touch – Create empty file
touch newfile.txt

# uname – System info
uname -a

# useradd – Add user
sudo useradd -m newuser

# vi – Open editor
vi notes.txt

🅦–🅧–🅨–🅩 Commands

# watch – Re-run command every 2s
watch df -h

# who – See logged-in users
who

# xargs – Pass args from input
echo 'file1 file2' | xargs rm

# yes – Repeat string
yes "TechClick"

# zip – Compress files
zip site.zip *.html

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