Terminal Command Cheatsheet for Windows Users

Open a terminal with Ctrl+Alt+T on most Ubuntu-based desktops. The terminal is your most powerful tool — don’t be afraid of it.

This is a quick-reference card. For in-depth explanations with real examples, see the Filesystem Hierarchy guide and the external learning resources collection.

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Navigation

Command	What It Does	Windows Equivalent
pwd	Print current directory	Typing path in Explorer address bar
ls	List files	dir
ls -la	List all files including hidden, with details	dir /a
cd /path	Change directory	cd \path
cd ~ or just cd	Go to home directory	cd %USERPROFILE%
cd ..	Go up one directory	same
cd -	Go to previous directory	no equivalent

File Operations

Command	What It Does	Windows Equivalent
cp source dest	Copy file	copy
cp -r source dest	Copy directory recursively	xcopy
mv source dest	Move/rename	move / ren
rm file	Delete file	del
rm -rf directory	Delete directory and everything inside (dangerous!)	rmdir /s
mkdir -p path/to/dir	Create directory (and parents)	mkdir
touch file	Create empty file or update timestamp	no equivalent
cat file	Print file contents	type
head -n 20 file	Show first 20 lines	no equivalent
tail -n 20 file	Show last 20 lines	no equivalent
tail -f file	Follow file updates in real-time (logs)	no equivalent

Finding Things

Command	What It Does	Windows Equivalent
find /path -name "*.txt"	Find files by name	Search in Explorer
grep "text" file	Search inside files	findstr
grep -r "text" /path	Search recursively	findstr /s
which command	Find where a command lives	where
locate filename	Fast file search (needs sudo updatedb first)	Everything search

System Info

Command	What It Does	Windows Equivalent
uname -a	System info	systeminfo
hostname	Computer name	hostname
df -h	Disk space	no equivalent
free -h	Memory usage	Task Manager
htop	Interactive process viewer	Task Manager
lscpu	CPU info	Task Manager Details
sensors	Temperature sensors	no equivalent
uptime	How long system has been running	systeminfo | find "Boot Time"

Package Management (apt)

Command	What It Does	Windows Equivalent
sudo apt update	Refresh package list	Check for Updates
sudo apt upgrade -y	Install all updates	Windows Update
sudo apt install package	Install software	Download .exe + run
sudo apt remove package	Uninstall software	Programs & Features
sudo apt remove --purge package	Uninstall + remove config	no equivalent
sudo apt autoremove	Remove unused dependencies	no equivalent
apt search keyword	Search for packages	Microsoft Store search
dpkg -l | grep keyword	Check if package is installed	no equivalent

Permissions

Command	What It Does	Windows Equivalent
chmod +x file	Make file executable	no direct equivalent
chmod 755 file	Set full permissions	Properties > Security
chown user:group file	Change file owner	Properties > Security
sudo command	Run as administrator	“Run as administrator”
sudo -s	Open root shell	Admin CMD

Process Management

Command	What It Does	Windows Equivalent
ps aux	List all processes	Task Manager
kill PID	End a process	End Task
killall name	Kill all processes by name	no equivalent
command &	Run in background	no equivalent
jobs	List background jobs	no equivalent
Ctrl+C	Stop running command	same
Ctrl+Z	Suspend command	no equivalent

Networking

Command	What It Does	Windows Equivalent
ip addr	Show IP addresses	ipconfig
ping host	Ping	same
curl URL	Download/fetch URL	no equivalent
wget URL	Download file	no equivalent
sudo ss -tulnp	Show listening ports with process names	netstat -an

Text Editing

Command	What It Does	Windows Equivalent
nano file	Simple text editor (beginner-friendly)	notepad
vim file	Advanced text editor (steep learning curve)	no equivalent

nano basics: Arrow keys to move, Ctrl+O to save, Ctrl+X to exit.

Useful Shortcuts

Shortcut	What It Does
Tab	Auto-complete file/directory names
Up/Down arrows	Scroll through command history
Ctrl+R	Search command history
Ctrl+L	Clear screen (same as clear)
!!	Repeat last command (useful: sudo !!)
Ctrl+A	Move cursor to start of line
Ctrl+E	Move cursor to end of line

Pipes and Redirection

Syntax	What It Does
command | grep "text"	Pipe output to search
command > file	Redirect output to file (overwrite)
command >> file	Append output to file
command 2>&1	Redirect errors to same output
command1 && command2	Run command2 only if command1 succeeds
command1 || command2	Run command2 only if command1 fails

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Want Structured Practice?

This cheatsheet is a reference card. If you want to build real muscle memory — working through each command in a safe practice folder, with goals, explanations, and quizzes — the companion course covers all of the above in a structured 30-day path:

Linux Terminal Confidence Guide — A 30-day interactive Ubuntu terminal course. All practice runs inside ~/linux-practice (a disposable sandbox), risky commands are clearly labeled, and progress is saved in your browser. Covers navigation through scripting, package management, and cron — in order, without the random-command overwhelm.