Ubuntu Server is a popular Linux distribution that is used by businesses and individuals alike. It is a powerful and versatile operating system that can be used for a variety of tasks, from hosting websites to running databases.
One of the strengths of Ubuntu Server is its command-line interface (CLI). The CLI is a powerful tool that can be used to perform a wide range of tasks, from basic file management to complex system administration.
In this blog post, we will discuss the top 25 most useful Ubuntu Server commands. These commands will cover a variety of tasks, so you should be able to find what you need, regardless of your experience level.
The 25 Most Useful Ubuntu Server Commands
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ls
: List the contents of a directory.- Example:
ls
- Example:
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cd
: Change the current directory.- Example:
cd /etc
- Example:
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mkdir
: Create a new directory.- Example:
mkdir my_directory
- Example:
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touch
: Create an empty file.- Example:
touch my_file
- Example:
-
cp
: Copy a file or directory.- Example:
cp my_file /tmp
- Example:
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mv
: Move or rename a file or directory.- Example:
mv my_file /home/user
- Example:
-
rm
: Remove a file or directory.- Example:
rm my_file
- Example:
-
nano
: Edit a text file.- Example:
nano my_file
- Example:
-
cat
: Read the contents of a file.- Example:
cat my_file
- Example:
-
grep
: Search for a text pattern in a file.- Example:
grep "hello" my_file
- Example:
-
chmod
: Change the permissions of a file or directory.- Example:
chmod 400 my_file
- Example:
-
chown
: Change the ownership of a file or directory.- Example:
chown user my_file
- Example:
-
tar
: Create or extract a tar archive file.- Example:
tar -cf my_archive.tar my_directory
- Example:
-
zip
: Create a zip file.- Example:
zip my_archive.zip my_directory
- Example:
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unzip
: Extract a zip file.- Example:
unzip my_archive.zip
- Example:
-
ssh
: Connect to a remote server.- Example:
ssh user@server
- Example:
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sudo
: Run a command with root privileges.- Example:
sudo apt install my_package
- Example:
-
apt
: Install or remove packages from the Ubuntu repositories.- Example:
apt install my_package
- Example:
-
apt-cache
: Search for packages in the Ubuntu repositories.- Example:
apt-cache search my_package
- Example:
-
dpkg
: Manage packages that are installed on the system.- Example:
dpkg -l
- Example:
-
ps
: List all running processes.- Example:
ps
- Example:
-
top
: Monitor the system resources.- Example:
top
- Example:
-
kill
: Kill a running process.- Example:
kill 1234
- Example:
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df
: Display the disk space usage.- Example:
df
- Example:
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du
: Display the file space usage.- Example:
du -h /
- Example: