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Catalog / File System Tools Cheatsheet (Linux)

File System Tools Cheatsheet (Linux)

A comprehensive cheat sheet covering essential Linux file system tools like `ls`, `cp`, `mv`, and `rm`, including options, examples, and best practices for efficient file management.

ls - Listing Files and Directories

Basic Usage

ls

Lists files and directories in the current directory.

ls <directory>

Lists files and directories in the specified directory.

ls -l

Lists files in long format, showing permissions, size, modification date, etc.

ls -a

Lists all files, including hidden files (those starting with .).

ls -t

Sorts files by modification time (newest first).

ls -r

Reverses the order of the listing.

Combining Options

ls -la

Lists all files (including hidden) in long format.

ls -lt

Lists files in long format, sorted by modification time.

ls -ltr

Lists files in long format, sorted by modification time (oldest first).

ls -lh

Lists files in long format, with file sizes in human-readable format (e.g., KB, MB, GB).

ls -d

List directories - useful with wildcards.

ls -F

Appends a character to each filename indicating the file type (* for executable, / for directory, @ for symbolic link, = for socket).

Advanced Usage

ls -R - Lists subdirectories encountered recursively.

ls -S - Sort by file size, largest first.

ls -i - Show the index number of each file.

ls --color[=WHEN] - Control whether color is used to distinguish file types. WHEN can be always (default if omitted), auto, or never.

ls -b - Escape non graphic characters as octal numbers.

cp - Copying Files and Directories

Basic Copying

cp <source> <destination>

Copies a file or directory from source to destination.

cp file1 file2 file3 <directory>

Copies multiple files to a directory.

cp -r <source_dir> <destination_dir>

Copies a directory recursively (including all files and subdirectories).

cp -i <source> <destination>

Interactive mode. Asks for confirmation before overwriting existing files.

cp -p <source> <destination>

Preserves the original file’s mode, ownership, and timestamps.

Advanced Copying

cp -u <source> <destination> - Copy only when the SOURCE file is newer than the destination file or when the destination file is missing.

cp -v <source> <destination> - Verbose mode. Shows files as they are copied.

cp -s <source> <destination> - Make symbolic links instead of copying.

cp -l <source> <destination> - Make hard links instead of copying.

cp --backup[=CONTROL] <source> <destination> - Back up each existing destination file. The CONTROL argument specifies the backup suffix.

Examples

Copying a file:
cp my_file.txt /home/user/documents/

Copying a directory recursively:
cp -r my_directory /home/user/backup/

Copying multiple files with confirmation:
cp -i file1.txt file2.txt /tmp/

mv - Moving and Renaming Files and Directories

Basic Moving and Renaming

mv <source> <destination>

Moves or renames a file or directory from source to destination.

mv file1 file2 file3 <directory>

Moves multiple files to a directory.

mv -i <source> <destination>

Interactive mode. Asks for confirmation before overwriting existing files.

Moving Options

mv -n <source> <destination>

No clobber. Do not overwrite an existing file. Useful for scripts.

mv -v <source> <destination>

Verbose. Shows files as they are moved.

mv -u <source> <destination>

Move only when the SOURCE file is newer than the destination file or when the destination file is missing.

Examples

Renaming a file:
mv old_file.txt new_file.txt

Moving a file to a different directory:
mv my_file.txt /home/user/documents/

Moving multiple files to a directory:
mv file1.txt file2.txt /tmp/

Moving a directory:
mv my_directory /opt/

rm - Removing Files and Directories

Basic Removal

rm <file>

Removes a file.

rm -i <file>

Interactive mode. Asks for confirmation before deleting.

rm -f <file>

Force removal. Ignores nonexistent files and suppresses prompts.

Removing Directories

rmdir <directory>

Removes an empty directory.

rm -r <directory>

Removes a directory and its contents recursively.

rm -rf <directory>

Force removal of a directory and its contents recursively. Use with caution!

Examples

Removing a file:
rm my_file.txt

Removing a directory recursively:
rm -r my_directory

Force removing a directory and its contents:
rm -rf my_directory

Removing multiple files:
rm file1.txt file2.txt file3.txt

Important Notes

Caution: rm -rf / will delete everything on the system if run as root. Be extremely careful when using rm with wildcards or the -r and -f options.

Best Practice: Use rm -i to confirm each deletion, especially when using wildcards.
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