Working with files and directories¶

In this section we will focus on files and directories.

In Unix, files and directories are similar

A computer file is a named collection of data that is stored on a computer's hard drive or other storage device. Files can contain text, images, audio, video, and other types of data. Files are typically opened and closed using a file manager or other software application.

A directory is a named collection of files and other directories. Directories are used to organize files and make them easier to find. Directories are typically opened and closed using a file manager or other software application.

Similarities and differences between files and Directories¶

Similarities¶

Both files and directories are stored on the same physical disk.
Both files and directories have names.
Both files and directories can be owned by users and groups.
Both files and directories can have permissions set on them.
Both files and directories can be accessed using the same commands.

Differences¶

A file is a collection of data, while a directory is a collection of files.
A file cannot contain other files, while a directory can contain other files and directories.
A file can be accessed directly by its name, while a directory can only be accessed by navigating to it through the file system hierarchy.

List of commands for working with Files and Directories¶

The following table shows some of the main Unix commands for working with files and directories:

Command	Description
`ls`	List the contents of a directory
`cd`	Change the current directory
`mkdir`	Create a new directory
`rmdir`	Remove an empty directory
`touch`	Create a new empty file
`cat`	Display the contents of a file
`cp`	Copy a file
`mv`	Move a file
`rm`	Remove a file
`more`	Display the contents of a file one screen at a time
`less`	Display the contents of a file one screen at a time and allow scrolling
`head`	Output the first part of file
`tail`	Output the last part of file
`grep`	Search for a pattern in a file
`sort`	Sort the lines in a file
`uniq`	Remove duplicate lines from a file
`find`	Find files that match a certain criteria
`chmod`	Change the permissions on a file
`chown`	Change the ownership of a file
`ln`	Create a link to a file
`tar`	Create a compressed archive of a file or directory
`gzip`	Compress or decompress a file
`bzip2`	Compress or decompress a file

References¶

Created: 05/13/2023: Updated: 05/15/2023

Carlos Lizárraga