| Command | short description | example [-options] filename or directory |
| apropos | locate commands by keyword lookup | apropos keyword |
| cat | concatenate and display | cat [ - ] [ - b e n s t u v ] filename |
| cd | change working directory | cd directory |
| chmod | change the permissions mode of a file | chmod 755 index.html |
| clear | clear the terminal screen | clear |
| cp | copy files | cp [ - i p ] filename1 filename2 |
| du | display the number of disk blocks used per directory or file | du |
| finger | check status of another user | finger user@host |
| head | display first 10 lines of a file | head [ -n ] filename |
| ls | list the contents of a directory | ls [ -aAcCdfFgilLqrRstu1 ] filename |
| man | display reference manual pages | man [-M path] -k keyword ... man [-M path] -f filename |
| more | browse or page through a text file | more [ - c d f l s u ] [ -lines ] [ + line number ] [ +/pattern ] filename |
| mv | move or rename files | mv [ - ] [ - f i ] filename1 filename2 |
| password | allows you to change your user password | password (verifies old password then ask for new) |
| pwd | display the pathname of the current working directory | pwd |
| quota | display a user's disk quota and usage | quota -v |
| rm | remove (unlink) files | rm [ - ] [ - f i r ] filename |
| rmdir | remove a directory | rmdir directory |
| tail | display the last part of a file | tail +|-number [ l b c ] [ f ] filename |
| talk | 2-way communication with another account | talk user@host |
| touch | update the access and modification date and time of a file | touch [ -c ] [ -f ] filename |
| wc | display a count of lines, words and characters | wc [ - l w c ] filename |
| whatis | display a one-line summary about a keyword | whatis command |
| * | wild card-matches group of letters | ls *.gif (lists all gif files in current dir) |
| ? | wild card-one letter only | ls test?.gif (lists all gif files with test_ (any character)) |
| !! | resends last command issued to unix | !! |