ls Command

Function: Lists information about directories.Syntax:

ls [-l -h -a] [options]

• Options: The directory to be viewed; if no options are provided, it displays the current working directory.
• -l, view in list format
• -h, used with -l, displays file sizes in a more human-readable format
• -a, shows hidden files

Hidden Files and Directories

• In Linux, files and directories that start with a dot (.) are hidden.
• They are not displayed by default and require the -a option to be viewed.

The image below is a test.

pwd Command

Function: Displays the current working directorySyntax:

pwd

View demonstration.

cd Command

Function: Changes the working directorySyntax:

cd [target_directory]

• Options: Target directory, the location to switch to; if not provided, it defaults to the current user’s HOME directory.

Relative and Absolute Paths

• A relative path does not start with a /.
• A relative path describes the path starting from the current directory, e.g., test/a.txt indicates the a.txt file in the test folder within the current working directory.
• An absolute path starts with a /.
• An absolute path describes the path starting from the root.

Special Path Symbols

• ., represents the current directory, e.g., ./a.txt indicates the a.txt file in the current folder.
• .., represents the parent directory, e.g., ../ indicates the parent directory, ../../ indicates the grandparent directory.
• ~, represents the user’s HOME directory, e.g., cd ~ will switch back to the user’s HOME directory.

The image below is a demonstration.