Four Basic Linux Commands Every Beginner Should Know

 

The Linux terminal may look complicated at first, but you only need a few commands to start navigating the system confidently. In this beginner-friendly video, Liko demonstrates four essential Linux commands: pwd, ls, mkdir, and cd.

These commands help you identify your current location, view files and folders, create a new directory, and move between directories.

1. pwd — Find Your Current Location

The pwd command stands for print working directory. It displays the complete path of the directory in which you are currently working.

Enter:

pwd

Example output:

/home/user

You can think of pwd as asking Linux: “Where am I?”

2. ls — View Files and Folders

The ls command lists the files and folders available in your current directory.

Enter:

ls

Example output:

Desktop  Documents  Downloads  Pictures

This command is useful whenever you want to check what is available in a directory before opening, copying or deleting anything.

3. mkdir — Create a New Directory

A directory in Linux is similar to a folder in Windows. The mkdir command stands for make directory.

To create a directory named linux-practice, enter:

mkdir linux-practice

The command normally produces no output when it is successful. Use ls to confirm that the directory was created:

ls

You should now see linux-practice in the list:

Desktop  Documents  Downloads  linux-practice  Pictures

4. cd — Change Directory

The cd command stands for change directory. It allows you to move from your current directory into another directory.

To enter the newly created directory, use:

cd linux-practice

The terminal prompt may change to indicate your new location. You can also verify it using:

pwd

Example output:

/home/user/linux-practice

Practice Exercise

Open a Linux terminal and enter the following commands one at a time:

pwd
ls
mkdir linux-practice
ls
cd linux-practice
pwd

After completing the exercise, you should be able to:

• Identify your current directory

• View files and folders

• Create a new directory

• Enter the newly created directory

Command Summary

Command	Meaning	Purpose
pwd	Print working directory	Displays your current location
ls	List	Displays files and folders
mkdir	Make directory	Creates a new directory
cd	Change directory	Moves into another directory

Conclusion

These four commands provide a simple foundation for working with the Linux terminal. Once you are comfortable with them, you can proceed to creating files, copying and moving content, deleting files safely, and understanding Linux permissions.

Try the commands yourself instead of only watching the demonstration. Regular practice is the easiest way to become comfortable with the Linux command line.

Next lesson: Creating, copying, moving and deleting files in Linux.