Basic Linux Commands for Beginners

Anyone working with a Linux server will sooner or later end up at the command line. Whether you log in via SSH to fix a problem or are simply curious, a few basic commands can already help you enormously. In this article, we explain the most important commands for navigating, managing files, setting permissions, and viewing processes, with concrete examples you can use right away.

Navigating through directories

The first step in the terminal is knowing where you are and how to get somewhere else. You use these commands for that:

• pwd – shows the directory you’re currently in (print working directory).
• ls – shows the contents of the current directory. With ls -la you also see hidden files and details such as permissions and size.
• cd directoryname – moves you to another directory. Use cd .. to go up one level and cd ~ to go back to your home directory.
• find – searches for files by name, for example find /var/www -name "*.log".

On shared hosting you usually manage files via Plesk, but for VPS or dedicated server management, the terminal remains indispensable.

Managing files and directories

Once you know where you are, you’ll probably want to create, copy, or delete files. These are the commands you’ll use daily:

• touch file.txt – creates a new, empty file.
• mkdir directoryname – creates a new directory.
• cp source destination – copies a file. Add -r to copy an entire directory.
• mv source destination – moves or renames a file or directory.
• rm file – deletes a file. With rm -r directoryname you delete a directory including its contents. Be careful with this, as there is no trash bin.
• cat file – displays the contents of a file in the terminal.
• nano file or vim file – opens a file in a text editor to edit it.

Understanding file permissions

Linux works with a permissions system that determines who may read, write, or execute a file. This is especially important when managing a website, as incorrect permissions can lead to error messages or security risks.

• ls -l – shows permissions as a series of letters, for example -rwxr-xr--. The first three letters are the owner’s permissions, the next three are the group’s, and the last three are for other users.
• chmod – changes permissions, for example chmod 755 file.php gives the owner full rights and others read and execute rights.
• chown user:group file – changes the owner of a file or directory.

For web hosting, the general rule is: directories 755 and files 644, unless a script requires specific write permissions. If you’re unsure about the correct setting, check the knowledge base or contact support.

Viewing processes and system info

Sometimes you want to know what’s running in the background, for example if a server is responding slowly. These commands provide insight:

• top or htop – shows active processes and their resource usage in real time.
• ps aux – gives an overview of all running processes.
• df -h – shows the available disk space per partition.
• free -h – shows the server’s memory usage.
• kill PID – stops a process based on its process ID, which you can find via ps aux.

These commands are especially relevant if you manage a VPS or dedicated server. With regular web hosting, you can handle many of these tasks conveniently via Plesk, without needing a terminal.