How to start a terminal and manage files by commands on linux

Users of Linux distributions like Ubuntu, Debian, Mint, Fedora or openSUSE can almost do anything graphically, but there also another way to do it by using the Terminal. There are thousands of commands users can run on the Terminal, each with a number of different options.

Starting a Terminal

First, users will need to know how to start the terminal to write the commands.

In Ubuntu and Mint distributions: Use the shortcut Key Ctrl+Alt+T
In Fedora distribution: Use the shortcut Key Ctrl+Alt+F2 to switch your entire screen to a terminal. You also can then switch between six different terminals, by using Alt-F2 through Alt-F6. Pressing Alt-F1 will bring you back to your graphical environment.
In Debian distribution:
- Under GNOME: Applications> System Tools> Terminal. or the keyboard shortcut Alt + F2 for "Run Application" and type "gnome-terminal"
- Under KDE: Kmenu> System> Terminal (Konsole)

Most useful file commands to use on the terminal

ls – directory listing
ls -al – formatted listing with hidden files
cd dir - change directory to dir
cd – change to home
pwd – show current directory
mkdir dir – create a directory dir
rm file – delete file
rm -r dir – delete directory dir
rm -f file – force remove file
rm -rf dir – force remove directory dir
cp file1 file2 – copy file1 to file2
cp -r dir1 dir2 – copy dir1 to dir2; create dir2 if it doesn't exist
mv file1 file2 – rename or move file1 to file2 if file2 is an existing directory, moves file1 into directory file2
ln -s file link – create symbolic link link to file
touch file – create or update file
cat > file – places standard input into file
more file – output the contents of file
head file – output the first 10 lines of file
tail file – output the last 10 lines of file
tail -f file – output the contents of file as it grows, starting with the last 10 lines