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File commands (ls, cp, mv, ln) Everyday file handling

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Start here

ls -lah
List with sizes and hidden files
cp -r <src> <dst>
Copy a directory
mv <src> <dst>
Move or rename
mkdir -p <a/b/c>
Create nested directories
ln -s <target> <link>
Make a symlink
rm -ri <dir>
Delete, asking first
touch <file>
Create empty file
stat <file>
Size, mode, timestamps

Concepts

Directory entry name
Inode owner, mode, times
Data blocks contents
A directory entry names an inode; data lives until the last name goes

Listing (ls)

ls
List the current directory
ls -l
Long format: mode, owner, size, date
ls -a
Include hidden dotfiles
ls -lh
Human-readable sizes
ls -lt
Newest first
ls -ltr
Oldest first, newest at the bottom
ls -lS
Largest first
ls -d */
List only directories
Without -d, ls <dir> lists the directory contents instead of the entry itself.
ls -R
Recurse into subdirectories
ls -1
One name per line
ls -i
Show inode numbers
Same inode number means the same file (hard links).
ls -lA
All entries except . and .. dirs
ls --group-directories-first
Directories before files
ls -F
Mark types: / dir, @ link, * exec
ls -ld <path>
Show the directory itself, not its contents

Copying (cp)

cp <src> <dst>
Copy a file
cp -r <dir> <dst>
Copy a directory recursively
cp -a <src> <dst>
Archive: recurse, keep links, mode, times
Also keeps ownership when run as root. The right choice for backups.
cp -i <src> <dst>
Ask before overwriting
cp -n <src> <dst>
Never overwrite existing files
cp -u <src> <dst>
Only copy newer or missing files
cp -v <src> <dst>
Show each copy
cp -p <src> <dst>
Keep mode, owner and times
cp -t <dir> <files>
Target dir first, files after (xargs-friendly)
cp --backup=numbered <src> <dst>
Keep numbered backups of overwritten files
cp --reflink=auto <src> <dst>
Copy-on-write clone where supported
Instant on btrfs and XFS. auto falls back to a normal copy.
cp -L <src> <dst>
Follow symlinks and copy their targets
cp <src>/. <dst>
Copy directory contents, including dotfiles

Moving (mv)

mv <src> <dst>
Move or rename
mv <a> <b> <dir>
Move several items into a directory
mv -i <src> <dst>
Ask before overwriting
mv -n <src> <dst>
Never overwrite
mv -v <src> <dst>
Show what moved
mv -t <dir> <files>
Target dir first
mv -T <src> <dst>
Treat dst as a file, never as a dir

Removing (rm, rmdir)

rm <file>
Delete a file
rm -i <file>
Confirm each deletion
rm -r <dir>
Delete a directory tree
rm -rf <dir>
Recursive, no prompts, ignore missing
Check the path with ls first. An empty variable or a stray space in rm -rf $d/ can erase far more than intended.
rm -I <files>
One prompt for 4+ files or recursion
rm -v <file>
Print each removal
rm -- -<name>
Delete a file whose name starts with -
rm -d <dir>
Remove an empty directory
rmdir <dir>
Remove an empty directory only
rm --one-file-system -r <dir>
Do not cross mount points
ln -s <target> <link>
Create a symbolic link
ln <file> <link>
Create a hard link
ln -sf <target> <link>
Replace an existing link
ln -sfn <target> <link>
Replace a link to a directory in place
Without -n, an existing link to a directory is followed and the new link lands inside it.
ln -sr <target> <link>
Make the link path relative
ls -l <link>
Show where a link points
readlink <link>
Print the link target
readlink -f <path>
Resolve fully to an absolute path
find -L <dir> -type l
Find broken symlinks

Directories and files

mkdir <dir>
Create a directory
mkdir -p <a/b/c>
Create parents, no error if present
mkdir -m 700 <dir>
Create with a given mode
mkdir -p src/{app,lib}
Create several siblings with brace expansion
touch <file>
Create empty file or update its time
touch -d "2 days ago" <file>
Set a specific modification time
touch -r <ref> <file>
Copy the timestamp of another file

Inspecting paths

stat <file>
Size, inode, mode, owner, times
stat -c '%a %U %s %n' <file>
Custom format: octal mode, owner, size, name
stat -c %y <file>
Last modification time
realpath <path>
Absolute path, symlinks resolved
realpath --relative-to=<dir> <path>
Path relative to a directory
basename <path>
Last path component
basename -s .txt <path>
Strip a suffix as well
dirname <path>
Everything but the last component
file <path>
Detect the file type
du -sh <path>
Total size of a path

Temporary files (mktemp)

mktemp
Create a unique temp file, print its path
mktemp -d
Create a unique temp directory
mktemp /tmp/<name>.XXXXXX
Use your own template
Needs at least three trailing X characters.
mktemp -t <name>.XXXXXX
Template under $TMPDIR (or /tmp)

Recipes

Safe scratch directory
tmp=$(mktemp -d) || exit 1trap 'rm -rf "$tmp"' EXITcp -a <src>/. "$tmp"
Atomic symlink switch (releases)
ln -sfn releases/<new> current.tmpmv -T current.tmp current# current flips in one rename
Back up a file before editing
cp -a --backup=numbered <file> <file>.bakls -l <file>*
Preview, then delete
ls -d <glob>rm -rI <glob>