Linux Basic Commands and Directory Structure for Beginners

On Day 6 of my DevOps journey, I explored the Linux terminal hands-on. I used essential commands to navigate the system, read files, and understand the structure of Linux.

💻 Basic Commands I Practiced

Here are the commands I used today and what they do:

Command	Purpose
`whoami`	Shows the current logged-in user
`pwd`	Prints the current working directory
`ls`	Lists files and folders
`cd`	Changes directory
`clear`	Clears the terminal screen
`cat /etc/os-release`	Displays OS info
`sudo -i`	Switches to the root user
`exit`	Exits a session (root or normal)

📂 Navigating the File System

I explored various system directories using cd and ls:

/bin, /sbin – essential binaries and system tools
/etc – system configuration files (like hostname)
/boot, /boot/grub2 – bootloader files
/tmp – temporary files
/proc – virtual system info (processes, uptime)

📊 Viewing System Info

Some useful commands I tried for system insight:

uptime – Shows how long the system has been running
cat /proc/uptime – Same info but in raw format
free -m – Displays memory usage in MB

🧠 What I Learned

Linux has a clear directory hierarchy, and each folder has a specific purpose.
Commands like cd, ls, and pwd make navigating easy.
/proc is a virtual filesystem that shows real-time system data.
You can switch to root (sudo -i) for full control, but use it cautiously.

🔚 Wrapping Up

Today was all about exploring and understanding how Linux is structured and how to move around it. These basics are powerful and essential for any DevOps or Linux user.

Tomorrow, I’ll dive into file management, permissions, and editing files from the terminal.

Day 6 – Exploring Linux Basic