Basic CLI Commands - Quick Reference

Getting Started

This guide covers 15 essential CLI commands every developer should know. No complex variations, just the basics to get you productive.

How to Open Terminal

Windows: Press Win + R, type "cmd", press Enter
macOS: Press Cmd + Space, type "Terminal", press Enter
Linux: Press Ctrl + Alt + T

Command Categories

📁 File Management

ls / dir - List files
cd - Change directory
cp / copy - Copy files
mv / move - Move files
rm / del - Delete files

🌐 Network

ipconfig / ifconfig - Network configuration
ping - Test connectivity
scp - Secure file transfer

🗜️ Archives

tar - Archive files
zip / unzip - Compress files

🖥️ Development

python3 -m http.server - Quick web server
git - Version control
grep - Search text
curl - Transfer data

Most Common Tasks

Start a Simple Web Server

Instantly serve files from current directory:

python3 -m http.server 8000

Then open: http://localhost:8000

Check Your IP Address

Windows:

ipconfig

macOS/Linux:

ifconfig

Create a TAR Archive

tar -czf archive.tar.gz folder/

Extract:

tar -xzf archive.tar.gz

Secure Copy Files (SCP)

Copy to remote server:

scp file.txt user@server:/path/to/destination

Copy from remote server:

scp user@server:/path/to/file.txt .

Technical Info

Quick server command: python3 -m http.server

Server port: 8000

Bytes in response: $2$ ⁸ = 256

Last updated: January 29, 2025

"The shell is both a command language and a programming language."

Learning Tips

Start with --help or man to learn about any command
Use Tab for auto-completion
Press Ctrl+C to stop a running command
Use up/down arrows to navigate command history
Practice in a safe environment first