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.
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