Advanced file management
Beyond the Basics
Once you’ve mastered the everyday commands for manipulating files, you might want to do more. We show you some powerful commands for advanced file management.
If you’ve worked from the command line regularly, you’ve probably learned the common options for commands such as cp, ls, mv, and rm. You also might have learned to change file attributes with commands like chmod and chown and to read the contents of files with less, head, and tail. However, these are only the basics for file management. Beyond these options is wealth of advanced commands for manipulating, viewing, verifying, and securely deleting files, to say nothing of copying in ways that go far beyond what cp can manage.
In fact, the command line is meant for file management. The desktop is fine for routine operations such as copying files from one device to another or changing basic permissions. But file management is a basic function, and people have been carrying it out at the command line as long as computers have existed. As a result, once you know the tools that are available, the command line is quicker and more precise than the desktop in every aspect of file management you can imagine – and, very likely, in those you can’t.
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Fedora Continues 32-Bit Support
In a move that should come as a relief to some portions of the Linux community, Fedora will continue supporting 32-bit architecture.
-
Linux Kernel 6.17 Drops bcachefs
After a clash over some late fixes and disagreements between bcachefs's lead developer and Linus Torvalds, bachefs is out.
-
ONLYOFFICE v9 Embraces AI
Like nearly all office suites on the market (except LibreOffice), ONLYOFFICE has decided to go the AI route.
-
Two Local Privilege Escalation Flaws Discovered in Linux
Qualys researchers have discovered two local privilege escalation vulnerabilities that allow hackers to gain root privileges on major Linux distributions.
-
New TUXEDO InfinityBook Pro Powered by AMD Ryzen AI 300
The TUXEDO InfinityBook Pro 14 Gen10 offers serious power that is ready for your business, development, or entertainment needs.
-
Danish Ministry of Digital Affairs Transitions to Linux
Another major organization has decided to kick Microsoft Windows and Office to the curb in favor of Linux.
-
Linux Mint 20 Reaches EOL
With Linux Mint 20 at its end of life, the time has arrived to upgrade to Linux Mint 22.
-
TuxCare Announces Support for AlmaLinux 9.2
Thanks to TuxCare, AlmaLinux 9.2 (and soon version 9.6) now enjoys years of ongoing patching and compliance.
-
Go-Based Botnet Attacking IoT Devices
Using an SSH credential brute-force attack, the Go-based PumaBot is exploiting IoT devices everywhere.
-
Plasma 6.5 Promises Better Memory Optimization
With the stable Plasma 6.4 on the horizon, KDE has a few new tricks up its sleeve for Plasma 6.5.