Learning Linux starts with understanding where you are and how to explore your files. These five commands give you a practical starting point.

You’ll need a Linux terminal. You can use a Linux computer, a virtual machine, or Ubuntu through Windows Subsystem for Linux.

1. Find your current folder with pwd

Run:

pwd

The command prints your current directory’s full path. For example:

/home/nelly

Your result will depend on your username and current location.

2. List files with ls

Run:

ls

This lists the visible files and folders in your current directory.

For more details, including permissions, use:

ls -l

To include hidden entries, use:

ls -a

Hidden filenames usually begin with a dot.

3. Create a folder with mkdir

Create a practice folder:

mkdir reconhack-practice

Run ls again to confirm that it appears. If that name already exists, choose another name.

4. Move between folders with cd

Enter your practice folder:

cd reconhack-practice

Run pwd to check your new location.

Move back to the parent folder with:

cd ..

5. Read a text file with cat

First, return to your practice folder:

cd reconhack-practice

Create a small text file using this command. It creates hello.txt, or replaces its contents if the file already exists:

printf 'Hello from ReconHack Labs!\n' > hello.txt

Read the file:

cat hello.txt

You should see:

Hello from ReconHack Labs!

Use cat for small text files. Large files are easier to explore with a pager such as less.

Try it yourself

Create another folder inside your practice directory. Enter it, check your location, then return to the parent directory and list its contents.

The goal is to understand how each command changes—or shows—your working environment.

Further reading

Find command documentation in the GNU Coreutils manual and the Bash manual.