Linux Commands Every Developer Should Know

If you work on Linux locally or deploy to Linux servers, a few commands will save time every day.

This guide focuses on the commands that help you navigate, inspect, search, and troubleshoot without leaving the terminal.

pwd

Use pwd to print the current working directory.

pwd

It is useful when you are deep inside nested folders and need to confirm where you are.

ls

Use ls to list files and directories.

ls
ls -lah

The -l flag gives details, while -a shows hidden files. The -h flag makes sizes easier to read.

cd

Use cd to move between directories.

cd /var/log
cd ..
cd ~

You can use .. to go up one level and ~ to return to your home directory.

cat and less

Use cat for short files and less for larger logs or configuration files.

cat app.conf
less /var/log/syslog

When reading large output, less is usually better because it allows scrolling and searching.

grep

Use grep to search inside files or command output.

grep -i error /var/log/syslog
journalctl -u nginx | grep -i failed

The -i flag makes the search case-insensitive.

A simple workflow

When debugging, a good pattern is:

1. Find the directory with pwd

2. Inspect files with ls

3. Read relevant logs with less

4. Search for keywords with grep

That workflow is fast, reliable, and easy to remember.