TestOut Linux Pro 6.0: Basic Linux File Management

As a Linux administrator, your primary tools will often be the command line interface (CLI), where you will execute various commands to manage files and directories within the Linux operating system. This lesson provides essential knowledge about navigating the file system and managing text files, serving as a quick reference for those new to Linux.

Linux File System Basics

The structure that holds Linux files is referred to as a directory. Understanding some key points about files and directories is crucial:

Case Sensitivity: File and directory names are case sensitive, meaning testout.txt, TestOut.txt, and TESTOUT.txt are distinguished as three different files.
Name Composition: Names can comprise uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, a dot (.), and underscores (_). While the dot in file names isn't mandatory, it helps in identifying file types through extensions.
Hierarchical Structure: Directories can contain files and other directories, organized hierarchically with parent and child relationships. The root directory, designated by a forward slash (/), serves as the starting point for all file paths.
Path Notation: Paths to files or directories are written using the forward slash as a delimiter, as illustrated in the path /home/rtracy/bin/myaddresses.dat.

For navigating within a Linux directory, several basic commands are essential:

Command	Description	Examples
pwd	Displays the current working directory.	If a user named Fred is in his home directory, entering pwd yields /home/Fred.
cd	Changes the present working directory.	cd .. moves to the parent directory; cd / takes you to the root directory.
ls	Shows directory contents.	ls -al displays long listings including hidden elements; ls -R /etc lists the contents of /etc and its subdirectories.

Create, Copy, and Move a Linux Directory

The tables below explain vital commands for managing directories:

Command	Description	Examples
mkdir	Creates a new directory.	mkdir work_files creates work_files in the current directory.
cp	Copies directories. Include -r to copy subdirectories and files recursively.	cp -r /temp /home/user copies /temp to /home/user.
mv	Moves or renames directories.	mv /temp/station ~/doc/ moves station to ~/doc.

Remove a Linux Directory

Commands used for directory removal are as follows:

Command	Description	Examples
rmdir	Deletes an empty directory.	rmdir ~/Fred/work_files removes work_files if empty.
rm	Removes directories and their contents.	rm -rf /home/user/temp deletes temp and all its subdirectories and files.

File Management Commands

Essential commands for file management include:

Command	Function	Examples
touch	Creates a blank file or updates the access and modification times of an existing file.	touch myfile creates or updates myfile.
cp	Copies files, leaving the source file untouched.	cp /temp/document_ab.txt ~/doc/document.txt copies and renames files.
mv	Moves or renames files.	mv /temp/document.txt ~/doc/document.txt moves the specified file.
rm	Removes a specified file.	rm myfile deletes myfile.

The Nano Editor

The Nano text editor is commonly included across various Linux distributions. It is user-friendly, ideal for beginners. To start Nano, run nano in the shell prompt. It presents a list of keystroke shortcuts for functionality and operational commands.

Here are some key shortcuts in Nano:

Shortcut	Function
^G (Ctrl+G)	Displays help text with shortcuts.
^X (Ctrl+X)	Exits the current buffer or Nano.
^O (Ctrl+O)	Saves the current file.
^K (Ctrl+K)	Cuts the current line.
^U (Ctrl+U)	Uncuts (pastes) text.

The Vi Editor

The Vi editor is a powerful text editor that's the default choice in most Linux environments. It operates in various modes:

Command Mode: The default mode for issuing commands like cutting and replacing text.
Insert Mode: Used for adding new text.
Replace Mode: Replaces existing text.

Common commands in Vi include:

Command	Function	Mode
vi	Starts the Vi editor.	Command
i	Enters insert mode.	Command
:w	Saves the document.	Command Line
:q!	Exits without saving changes.	Command line
:wq	Saves and exits.	Command line

Mastering these concepts and commands will provide a strong foundation for managing files and directories within Linux effectively. This knowledge is not only vital for successful course completion but also essential in practical Linux administration.

Basic Linux File Management Overview

Basic Linux File Management Overview