🚀 Basic Linux Command Line Commands You Should Know

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📌 Overview

Even though cPanel & WHM automate many server tasks, knowing basic Linux® command line commands can be incredibly helpful when managing your website or server. Below you’ll find a list of essential commands and their usage.

Note: For instructions on accessing your server’s command line, see the How to Access the Command Line documentation.

🚀 Basic Linux Command Line Cheatsheet

🔎 Common Commands

  • man command – View manual page for a command.
  • cat filename – Print file contents.
  • less filename – View file page by page.
  • cd /path/ – Change directory.
  • ls -al – List files (with details, including hidden files).
  • chmod 755 filename – Change file permissions.
  • chown user:group filename – Change file ownership.
  • cp file1 file2 – Copy a file.
  • mv source dest – Move/rename file.
  • rm filename – Delete a file.
  • touch filename – Create empty file.
  • file filename – Identify file type.
  • grep 'text' filename – Search text in file.
  • tail -100 filename – View last 100 lines of a file.
  • wc filename – Count words/lines/chars.
  • find /path/ -name filename – Search for files.
  • ln -s target linkname – Create symlink.
  • ps -aux – List processes.
  • w – List logged-in users.
  • netstat – Show network connections.
  • pico filename or vi filename – Edit file.

🔧 Combining Commands

  • Pipe output: command1 | command2
  • Redirect output: command > file (overwrite) or command >> file (append).
  • Use input from file: command < file.

Examples

  • grep User /path/httpd.conf | more – Search for “User” and view paginated.
  • last -a > /root/lastlogins.tmp – Save login history.
  • mysql -e 'show processlist' | wc -l – Count MySQL threads.
  • netstat -an | grep :80 | wc -l – Count Apache connections.
  • tail -10000 /var/log/exim_mainlog | grep 'example.com' | more – Search logs.

Tip: Periods . in regex act as wildcards; escape them with \. for literal matches in grep.

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