Linux Command Line Basics

The clusters run Linux and use command-line interface (CLI). If you are new to Linux, this means there is no clicking, no windows, and runs with just commands. Below are some Linux basics. We also recommend this Linux Command Line Basics guide.

Essential Commands

Command What It Does Example
pwd Print working directory (where am I?) pwd
ls List files in current directory ls -l (detailed list)
cd Change directory cd my_project
mkdir Make a new directory mkdir results
cp Copy files cp script.py backup.py
mv Move or rename files mv old.txt new.txt
rm Remove files rm temp.txt
cat Display file contents cat output.txt
nano Simple text editor nano script.py

File Paths

  • /home/netid/ - Your home directory
  • . - Current directory
  • .. - Parent directory
  • ~ - Shortcut for your home directory
# Navigate to home
cd ~

# Create a project directory
mkdir my_research
cd my_research

# List all files including hidden ones
ls -la

# Go up one directory
cd ..

Editing Files

Use nano for simple text editing:

nano my_script.py
# Edit your file, then:
# Ctrl+O to save
# Ctrl+X to exit