155 lines
4.1 KiB
Markdown
155 lines
4.1 KiB
Markdown
# Linux File and Directory management
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## 1. File System Hierarchy:
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Linux follows a hierarchical file system structure, starting with the root directory (/). Key directories include:
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- /home: User home directories
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- /etc: System configuration files
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- /var: Variable data (logs, temporary files)
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- /usr: User binaries and program files
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- /bin: Essential command binaries
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- /sbin: System binaries
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- /tmp: Temporary files
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## 2. Basic Commands:
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### - Listing files and directories:
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`ls [options] [directory]`
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Common options:
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- -l: Long format
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- -a: Show hidden files
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- -h: Human-readable file sizes
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### - Changing directories:
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`cd [directory]`
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- `cd ..`: Move up one directory
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- `cd`: Go to home directory
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- `cd /`: Go to root directory
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### - Creating directories:
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`mkdir [options] directory_name`
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Common options:
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- -p: Create parent directories if they don't exist
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### - Removing directories:
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`rmdir [options] directory_name`
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### - Creating empty files:
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`touch file_name`
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### - Copying files and directories:
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`cp [options] source destination`
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Common options:
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- -r: Copy directories recursively
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### - Moving/renaming files and directories:
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`mv source destination`
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### - Removing files:
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`rm [options] file_name`
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Common options:
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- -f: Force removal without prompting
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## 3. File Permissions:
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Linux uses a permission system with read (r), write (w), and execute (x) permissions for owner, group, and others.
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### Viewing permissions:
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`ls -l`
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### Changing permissions:
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`chmod [options] mode file`
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Example: chmod 755 file_name "to make a file permissions RWX-Owner, RX-Group, RX-Others
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### Changing ownership:
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`chown [options] user:group file`
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## 4. File Manipulation:
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### Viewing file contents:
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- `cat file_name` #Print entire file at once
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- `less file_name` #View file in a pager format
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- `more file_name` #View file in a pager format
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- `head file_name` #View top 10 lines (default) of a file
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- `tail file_name` #View last 10 lines (default) of a file
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### Searching file contents:
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`grep [options] pattern file`
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Common options:
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- -i: Insensitive Case Search
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- -R: search recursively in parent Directory, as well as all child directories.
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- -n: Return the line number in the file where the match occured
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### Comparing files:
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`diff file1 file2`
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## 5. Advanced File Management:
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### Finding files:
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`find [path] [expression]`
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Common Options:
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- -iname: Insensitive case search
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- -name: Case Sensitive search
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Example: `find /home -name "*.txt"`
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### Disk usage:
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`du [options] [directory]`
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Common options:
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- -h: Print disk usage in human-readable format
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- -s: Summarize disk usage information
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- -S: Summarize disk usage by each sub-directory
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### File compression and archiving:
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`tar [options] files.tar files` #Create a tar archive called "files.tar" with everything in the "files" directory
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`gzip -k file_name` #Create a gzipped archive while keeping the original file "-k"
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`gunzip -k file_name.gz` #Extract a .gzip file while keeping "-k" the original archive.
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### Symbolic links "Shortcuts":
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`ln -s target_file link_name`
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## 6. Text Editors:
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- nano: Simple and user-friendly #Included with most distros by default
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- vim: Advanced and powerful
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- emacs: Extensible and feature-rich
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## 7. File System Management:
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### Mounting file systems:
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`mount` [options] device directory
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### Unmounting file systems:
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`umount` [options] directory
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### Checking disk space:
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`df` [options]
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Common Options:
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- -h: Human-readable output
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## 8. File System Maintenance:
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### Checking and repairing file systems:
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`fsck [options] device` #Not used with BTRFS filesystem
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### Creating file systems:
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`mkfs.[FSTYPE] [options] device` #Will erase device/disk if not entered correctly
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## 9. Access Control Lists (ACLs):
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### For more fine-grained permission control:
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`getfacl file`
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`setfacl -m u:user:rwx file`
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## 10. Inode Information:
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### View detailed file information:
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`stat file_name`
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## 11. External Sources:
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- [(1) Linux File Management Series for Beginners - Linux Shell Tips.](https://www.ubuntumint.com/linux-file-management/.)
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- [(2) Linux Commands Cheat Sheet {with Free Downloadable PDF} - phoenixNAP.](https://phoenixnap.com/kb/linux-commands-cheat-sheet.)
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