My Journey with Basic Bash Commands in WSL Ubuntu

As I delved into the world of Linux through the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), I quickly realized how essential it was to familiarize myself with terminal commands. Here's a collection of the commands I’ve used, along with explanations for each, which helped me navigate and manage my system effectively.

1. Managing WSL

• wsl -l -v:

  • Lists installed WSL distributions with their version.

  • Example: Check which Linux distributions are available and their status.

• wsl --version:

  • Displays the version of WSL you are using.

  • Useful for ensuring you have the latest features.

• wsl --update:

  • Updates WSL to the latest version.

  • Important for accessing the latest features and improvements.

• wsl --list --verbose:

  • Similar to wsl -l -v, it lists installed distributions with additional information.

• wsl -d Ubuntu:

  • Launches the Ubuntu distribution in WSL.

  • Essential for starting your Linux environment.

2. Exploring the File System

• pwd:

  • Prints the current working directory.

  • Use this command to know your location in the file system.

  • pwd

• ls:

  • Lists files and directories in the current directory.

  • You can add options like -l for a detailed view.

  • ls

• lsblk:

  • Lists block devices (like hard drives and partitions) and their mount points.

  • Useful for checking disk space and mounted drives.

• cd:

  • Changes the directory.

  • For example, cd Desktop moves you to the Desktop directory.

  • cd .. to come out of directory

• mkdir demo:

  • Creates a new directory named demo.

  • Use this to organize your files.

3. Managing Files

• touch demo.js:

  • Creates an empty file named demo.js.

  • You can use it to create new files quickly.

• cat demo.txt:

  • Displays the contents of demo.txt.

  • Useful for quickly viewing file content without opening an editor.

• mv demo.txt demo:

  • Moves demo.txt into the demo directory.

  • This command is also used to rename files.

• rm demo.js:

  • Deletes the file demo.js.

  • Use with caution, as it permanently removes the file.

4. Editing Files with vi

• vi demo.txt:

  • Opens demo.txt in the vi text editor.

  • If the file does not exist, it will create a new one.

Basic vi Commands

1. Enter Insert Mode:

   • Press i to start adding text.

2. Exit Insert Mode:

   • Press Esc to return to Normal mode.

3. Save Changes and Exit:

   • Type :wq and press Enter to save changes and exit.

4. Save Without Exiting:

   • Type :w to save your changes.

5. Exit Without Saving:

   • Type :q! to exit without saving any changes.

5. Installing and Updating Software

• sudo apt-get update:

  • Updates the package list for upgrades.

  • Always run this before installing new software to ensure you have the latest versions.

• sudo apt install wsl:

  • Installs WSL if it’s not already installed.

  • You might not need to run this if you’re already using WSL.

6. System Information

• lsb_release -a:

  • Displays Linux distribution information, such as version and codename.

  • Helpful for identifying your OS version.

• htop:

  • Launches an interactive process viewer.

  • Great for monitoring system resource usage.

• ip a:

  • Displays network interface information.

  • Useful for checking IP addresses and network configurations.

7. Command History

• history:

  • Displays a list of previously executed commands.

  • You can use this to review your command usage or re-run commands easily.