Module 01 - Command Line Fundamentals

Lesson 02 - Working with Files and Directories

Estimated time: 45–60 minutes

Difficulty: Beginner

Prerequisites: - Module 00 - Introduction to Linux - Lesson 01 - The Linux Shell and Navigation

Overview

Now that you understand how to navigate the Linux filesystem, the next step is learning how to create, copy, move and remove files and directories.

These commands are used every day by Linux administrators and form the foundation of working with Linux systems.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson you will be able to:

Create directories
Create empty files
Copy files and directories
Move and rename files
Remove files and directories safely
Use wildcards
Understand common command-line shortcuts

Creating Directories

The mkdir command creates new directories.

Syntax

mkdir directory_name

Example:

mkdir training

Verify the directory exists:

ls

Example output:

training

Creating Multiple Directories

Multiple directories can be created in a single command.

Example:

mkdir docs scripts backups

Result:

docs
scripts
backups

Creating Nested Directories

Normally Linux requires parent directories to already exist.

The -p option creates the complete directory structure.

Example:

mkdir -p projects/linux/module01

This creates:

projects
└── linux
    └── module01

Creating Files

Linux uses the touch command to create empty files.

Example:

touch notes.txt

Verify:

ls

Output:

notes.txt

Multiple files can be created at once:

touch file1.txt file2.txt file3.txt

Copying Files

The cp command copies files.

Syntax

cp source destination

Example:

cp notes.txt backup.txt

Result:

notes.txt
backup.txt

The original file remains unchanged.

Copying Directories

Directories require the recursive option.

Example:

cp -r projects backup

The -r option means:

recursive

This copies the directory and everything inside it.

Moving Files

The mv command moves files and directories.

Example:

mv notes.txt Documents/

The file is moved into the Documents directory.

Renaming Files

The mv command is also used to rename files.

Example:

mv notes.txt lesson-notes.txt

The file has now been renamed.

Removing Files

Files are removed using the rm command.

Example:

rm backup.txt

Once deleted, the file cannot normally be recovered.

Always check the filename before pressing Enter.

Removing Directories

Empty directories can be removed using:

rmdir directory_name

Example:

rmdir training

Removing Directories and Contents

To remove a directory and everything inside it:

rm -r directory_name

Example:

rm -r old-project

Be careful when using recursive deletion.

The Dangerous Command

A very powerful command is:

rm -rf

The options mean:

Option	Meaning
`-r`	Recursive
`-f`	Force

Example:

rm -rf test-directory

This removes the directory and contents without asking for confirmation.

⚠️ Never run a command unless you understand exactly what it will do.

Using Wildcards

Wildcards allow commands to work with multiple files.

The most common wildcard is:

which means "match anything".

Example - Delete All Text Files

rm *.txt

This removes all files ending with:

.txt

Example - List Log Files

ls *.log

Displays files ending with:

.log

Useful Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut	Description
↑	Previous command
↓	Next command
Tab	Auto-complete command or filename
Ctrl + C	Cancel current command
Ctrl + L	Clear terminal
Ctrl + D	Logout / end shell

Best Practices

✔ Check your location with:

pwd

before making changes.

✔ Use:

ls

before deleting files.

✔ Create backups before modifying important files.

✔ Avoid using:

rm -rf

unless you are completely certain.

✔ Use meaningful filenames.

✔ Keep files organised into directories.

Practical Exercise

Complete the following tasks.

Task 1 - Create a Training Directory

Create this structure:

linux-training
├── documents
├── scripts
└── backups

Commands:

mkdir -p linux-training/{documents,scripts,backups}

Task 2 - Create Files

Create:

notes.txt
script.sh
backup.txt

Task 3 - Copy Files

Copy:

notes.txt

into:

backups

Task 4 - Rename a File

Rename:

script.sh

to:

linux-script.sh

Task 5 - Cleanup

Remove the training directory when complete.

Knowledge Check

Which command creates a directory?
What option is required to copy directories?
Which command moves or renames files?
What does rm -r do?
Why should rm -rf be used carefully?

Summary

In this lesson you learned:

✓ How to create directories using mkdir
✓ How to create files using touch
✓ How to copy files using cp
✓ How to move and rename files using mv
✓ How to remove files and directories safely
✓ How to use wildcards
✓ Common Linux terminal shortcuts

Next lesson:

Lesson 03 - Viewing Files and Getting Help