Ubuntu: The 10 most important Linux commands

Ubuntu is an entry-level operating system based on Linux. In this practical tip we show you the 10 most important commands with which you can give Linux instructions.

The 10 most important commands for Ubuntu Linux

To use commands on Ubuntu, you have to use the terminal. Then, for example, enter one of the following commands:

1. "sudo": This command is part of many other commands and indicates that everything that follows should be carried out with administrator rights. After entering it you have to enter your password. Don't be surprised: This is not shown for security reasons. Enter the password blindly and confirm with the [Enter] key.
2. "passwd": With this command you change the password of your user. You will first be asked to enter the old password. Then enter the new password.
3. "pwd": Even if this command looks like the word "Password", it has nothing to do with it. This shows which directory you are in.
4. "cd": With this command you change the directory. With the command "cd .." you go up one level, for example from "/ Computer / MyName" to "/ Computer /". You can then switch to the "/ Computer / Data" folder with "cd data", for example.
5. "cp": This command creates a copy of a directory or a file. First of all, enter the file to be copied. Then the directory to which the file should be copied. For example, "cp /Computer/MeinName/textfile.txt / Computer / Documents" copies a text file from the "MyName" folder to the "Documents" folder.
6. "ls": This command calls up the folders and files of the directory in which you are located. If you are currently in the "/ Computer / Documents" folder, you will probably see a list of the documents there.
7. "mkdir": This command creates a new folder in the current directory. For example "mkdir MeineBilder".
8. "rm": With this command you can delete single or multiple files or directories.
9. "ping": With this command you can test, among other things, whether a computer in your network or a website is still online. Simply enter "ping" followed by the IP address of the other computer. If all packets are lost, the computer is most likely offline. If the response time is very high (> 1000 ms) the connection is very slow.
10. "apt-get": This command retrieves available programs (packages) from the Ubuntu database. If you know that a program is available, use the command in combination with the parameter "install" followed by the program name. The application will then be installed automatically. For example "apt-get install network-manager"

Command options: How to modify Ubuntu statements

You can add one or more parameters to almost every command in Linux.

• To obtain a detailed explanation of all parameters and combinations, you can find information in the documentation on the Internet. The Ubuntuusers page has a lot of useful information.
• You can also simply use the built-in help function of Ubuntu. Simply type "-h" or "-help" after any command. This will give you help on the command and the possible parameters.