Linux Commands Cheat Sheet


Kali Linux commands cheat sheet. All basic commands from A to Z in Kali Linux has been listed below.

A

  • apropos : Search Help manual pages (man -k)
  • apt-get : Search for and install software packages (Debian/Ubuntu)
  • aptitude : Search for and install software packages (Debian/Ubuntu)
  • aspell : Spell Checker
  • awk : Find and Replace text, database sort/validate/index

B

  • 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 file(s)

C

  • 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

D

  • date : Display or change the date & 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

E

  • echo : Display message on screen •
  • egrep : Search file(s) 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

    F

    • false : Do nothing, unsuccessfully
    • fdformat : Low-level format a floppy disk
    • fdisk : Partition table manipulator for Linux
    • fg : Send job to foreground
    • fgrep : Search file(s) 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

    G

    • gawk : Find and Replace text within file(s)
    • getopts : Parse positional parameters
    • grep : Search file(s) 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 file(s)

    H

    • hash : Remember the full pathname of a name argument
    • head : Output the first part of file(s)
    • help : Display help for a built-in command
    • history : Command History
    • hostname : Print or set system name

    I

    • 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

    J

    • jobs : List active jobs
    • join : Join lines on a common field

    K

    • kill : Stop a process from running
    • killall : Kill processes by name

    L

    • 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 file(s)
    • lsof : List open files

      M

      • make : Recompile a group of programs
      • man : Help manual
      • mkdir : Create new folder(s)
      • 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)

      N

      • 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

      O

      • open : Open a file in its default application
      • op : Operator access

      P

      • 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

      Q

      • quota : Display disk usage and limits
      • quotacheck : Scan a file system for disk usage
      • quotactl : Set disk quotas

      R

      • 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 folder(s)
      • rsync : Remote file copy (Synchronize file trees)

      S

      • 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
      • sudo : Execute a command as another 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

        T

        • 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

        U

        • 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
        • userdel : Delete a 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

        • v : Verbosely list directory contents (`ls -l -b’)
        • vdir : Verbosely list directory contents (`ls -l -b’)
        • vi : Text Editor
        • vmstat : Report virtual memory statistics

        W

        • 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

        x

        • xargs : Execute utility, passing constructed argument list(s)
        • xdg-open : Open a file or URL in the user’s preferred application.
        Any command is wrong kindly comment below or mail us.


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