With hundreds of different Linux commands, it becomes difficult to remember all of them. Using the best Linux cheat sheet saves you this hassle and allows you to continue your work cohesively.
As a Linux system administrator and open source enthusiast, I understand how daunting Linux commands can be when you‘re just starting out. The terminal is powerful but dense, and the sheer number of commands at your disposal can feel overwhelming. But having the right reference guide can make all the difference.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll share my top 10 Linux cheat sheet recommendations to help you master the Linux command line as a beginner. With the right cheat sheet at your fingertips, Linux won‘t seem so intimidating anymore!
Why Linux Commands Matter
The Linux terminal allows you to control virtually every aspect of your system through command line instructions. While graphical user interfaces (GUIs) provide point-and-click simplicity, the command line gives you more precision and control.
According to the 2022 Stack Overflow developer survey, Linux expertise is one of the most lucrative skills in tech. As more than 80% of the public cloud runs on Linux, demand for Linux admins continues rising. Mastering basic Linux commands can set you up for a lucrative IT career.
With over 1,000 common commands, the list can seem endless. But in reality, you can get quite far with just 100-200 essential commands. And that‘s where a good cheat sheet comes in handy!
1. Linux Training Academy Cheat Sheet
With both print and PDF options available, the Linux Training Academy cheat sheet is one of the most comprehensive Linux command references I‘ve found. At a glance, it includes:
- System info: View hardware, OS, kernel details
- Performance monitoring: Monitor resource usage
- User management: Add, modify, delete users
- Process management: Manage running apps and services
- File commands: View, open, edit, copy, move, delete
- Permissions: Set file and folder access
- Archives: Create and extract archives
- Networking: Configure network and view connections
- Package management: Install, remove, update apps
- SSH: Remote login connections
- Search: Locate files and data
- Disk usage: Check used and free space
- File transfer: Securely send and receive files
- Directory navigation: Move between folders
With extensive coverage of Linux fundamentals, the Linux Training Academy cheat sheet is one of the best single-page command references for beginners and pros alike.
2. Dave Child‘s Linux Command Line Cheat Sheet
Dave Child‘s popular Linux command line cheat sheet manages to pack a ton of valuable information into a compact one-page reference. It includes:
- Bash commands: Core shell commands like cd, pwd, mkdir
- Nano shortcuts: Text editor hotkeys
- Directory operations: Navigating folders
- Bash shortcuts: Keyboard shortcuts
- Search files: Find, grep, wildcards
- Screen shortcuts: Manage terminal instances
- Variables: Set and print variables
- File operations: Copy, move, rename, delete
- Permissions: Chmod, chown, chgrp
- IO redirection: Pipe and redirect output
- Processes: Manage foreground and background
- Piping: Chain commands with |
- Command chaining: Combine commands with ; and &&
I appreciate how the clickable links allow you to easily dive deeper into any topic. This cheat sheet packs an impressive amount of fundamental Linux knowledge into a concise, easy-to-scan format.
3. Loggly‘s Linux Cheat Sheet
Loggly‘s Linux cheat sheet is another excellently organized one-page reference with handy tables covering:
- File management: Copy, move, symlinks, permissions
- Compression: gzip, bzip2, zip, tar
- Editors: nano, vim, emacs shortcuts
- Networking: ifconfig, netstat, scp, ssh
- Directory utilities: du, df, find, sort
- Scripting: Variables, loops, conditionals
- Disk utilities: fdisk, fsck, badblocks
- Processes: top, ps, kill, nice, bg, fg
- Miscellaneous: date, cal, echo, printf, tee
The color coding and visual organization make this cheat sheet very easy to scan. It‘s an excellent quick reference guide to keep handy as you‘re learning Linux.
4. FOSS Linux‘s Linux Command Cheat Sheet
The FOSS Linux command reference helps you quickly look up and learn about any Linux command you need. The intuitive web interface organizes commands into sections like:
- System info: uname, uptime, hostname
- File permissions: chmod, chown, chgrp
- Networking: ifconfig, telnet, netstat
- Compression: gzip, bzip2, xz, zip
- Archives: tar, rsync
- Packages: apt, dnf, pacman
- SSH connections: ssh, sftp
- File management: mv, cp, rm, touch
- Disk usage: du, df, fdisk
- Environment: env, export, alias
With its clean categorization and helpful explanations, this cheat sheet makes it easy to look up and understand exactly what you need. The ability to quickly search commands by name is also extremely helpful.
5. PhoenixNAP‘s Linux Commands Cheat Sheet
PhoenixNAP‘s Linux commands cheat sheet provides a nicely organized one-page reference of commonly used commands. It includes examples for:
- Hardware info: lscpu, lshw, lsblk
- Search with grep: Patterns, filenames, recursion
- File commands: cat, less, head, tail, nano
- Directory navigation: cd, ls, pwd, tree
- Compression: gzip, bzip2, xz
- File transfer: scp, rsync, sftp
- Users: who, w, last, id
- Install packages: apt, dnf, yum
- Processes: top, ps, kill, fg, bg
- System info: uname, uptime, df
- Disk usage: du, df, ncdu
- SSH connections: ssh, scp
- Permissions: chmod, chown, chgrp
- Network: ip, ping, traceroute
- Shortcuts: Common bash keyboard shortcuts
This is an excellent cheat sheet for Linux newcomers. The clean formatting and examples help reinforce the basic commands you‘ll need most often.
6. Station X Linux Command Line Cheat Sheet
Nathan House‘s Linux command line cheat sheet from Station X is another wonderfully organized reference featuring:
- Hardware info: lshw, lscpu, lsusb
- System info: uname, top, df
- Monitoring: uptime, vmstat, iostat
- User management: useradd, usermod, userdel
- Processes: top, ps, kill, fg, bg
- Networking: ifconfig, ping, netstat
- Permissions: chmod, chown, chgrp
- Directory navigation: pwd, cd, ls
- Disk usage: df, du, ncdu
- File transfer: scp, rsync
- SSH connections: ssh, sftp
- Package management: apt, dnf, pacman
The intuitive categorization makes it easy to scan and the color coding allows for quick visual lookups. This is an excellent Linux command cheat sheet to keep bookmarked.
7. FOSSwire‘s Unix/Linux Command Reference
If you‘re looking for a handy one-page command reference, this Unix/Linux cheat sheet from FOSSwire is a great option. Despite its compact size, it includes a ton of useful information:
- System info: uname, top, ps, last
- Compression: gzip, bzip2, compress
- Commands: alias, bg, chroot, cron
- Permissions: chmod, chown, chgrp
- Processes: top, ps, kill, killall
- Networking: ifconfig, iwconfig, route
- Installing: yum, dnf, apt-get
- SSH: ssh, scp, sftp
- Searching: find, grep, locate
- Shortcuts: Ctrl+C, Ctrl+Z, Ctrl+D
This single-page cheat sheet makes a fantastic quick reference guide you can print out or save for offline access.
8. Linoxide‘s Linux Cheat Sheet
The Linoxide Linux cheat sheet provides a great at-a-glance overview of Linux commands, including:
- System info: uname, uptime, lscpu, lsusb
- Networking: ip, ifconfig, ping, netstat
- Hardware: lshw, lscpu, lsblk, lspci
- Files: cat, nano, vim, head, tail, less
- Compression: gzip, bzip2, xz, zip, tar
- Users: useradd, usermod, userdel
- Installing: apt, dnf, yum, pacman
- Logins: ssh, who, w, last, id
- Search: find, grep, locate
- File transfers: scp, rsync, sftp
- Disk usage: df, du, ncdu
- Processes: top, ps, kill, fg, bg
- Directory navigation: pwd, cd, ls
This is an excellent Linux command cheat sheet for beginners. With its concise yet clear explanations, it serves as a fantastic quick reference.
9. Linux for Dummies Cheat Sheet
Richard Blum‘s Linux for Dummies cheat sheet boils Linux down to an easy list of essential commands for beginners:
- cat: View file contents
- cd: Change directory
- clear: Clear terminal screen
- chmod: Change permissions
- cp: Copy files and folders
- date: Display date/time
- df: View disk usage
- du: Estimate directory space usage
- file: Determine file type
- find: Search for files
- grep: Search file contents
- kill: Terminate processes
- ln: Create symbolic link
- less: View file contents
- passwd: Change password
- ps: List processes
- pwd: Print working directory
- ssh: Remote login
- who: See logged in users
This cheat sheet is perfect for getting an absolute Linux beginner up and running with the basic commands needed for system navigation and file management.
10. LinuxOpsys Cheat Sheet
The LinuxOpsys command reference is an excellent free PDF cheat sheet created specifically with Linux newcomers in mind. It includes:
- Clear explanations of each command
- Common usage examples
- Commands for beginners and experienced users
- A well-organized, logically structured layout
This cheat sheet combines simplicity for beginners with comprehensive coverage ideal for intermediate users. The clean formatting also makes it very easy to scan and navigate.
Conclusion
Mastering Linux commands can feel daunting as a beginner. But having a good cheat sheet handy makes the process much smoother.
The Linux command references in this guide represent the very best cheat sheets available. Keep one saved in your bookmarks or pinned near your desk for easy access. Over time, you‘ll find yourself needing to reference it less and less as the commands become second nature.
But no one masters every Linux command from the start. Don‘t get discouraged if you need to look up even simple commands at first. Stay persistent, leverage these great cheat sheets, and before you know it you‘ll be navigating the Linux terminal like a pro!
