The GNU Core Utilities package includes over 100 programs. These are the basic file, shell and text manipulation utilities that are expected to exist on all Linux systems. They are often used by scripts, other programs and each other.
Version 8.24 (July 2015)
Program | Location | |
---|---|---|
arch | /bin | hardware name (uname -m) |
base64 | /usr/bin | encode or decode |
basename | /bin | strip directory components |
cat | /bin | concatenate |
chgrp | /bin | change group |
chmod | /bin | change mode |
chown | /bin | change owner and/or group |
chroot | /usr/sbin | run command with new root directory |
cksum | /usr/bin | CRC checksum and byte count |
comm | /usr/bin | compare sorted files line by line |
cp | /bin | copy files and directories |
csplit | /usr/bin | output pieces of a file |
cut | /bin | output selected parts of lines |
date | /bin | output or set system date and time |
dd | /bin | copy, convert and format |
df | /bin | output file system information |
dir | /usr/bin | list file information (ls -Cb) |
dircolors | /usr/bin | set ls colours |
dirname | /usr/bin | strip basename component |
du | /usr/bin | disk usage |
echo | /bin | output (printf "%b\n$*") |
env | /bin | output or set environment variables |
expand | /usr/bin | convert tabs to spaces |
expr | /bin | evaluate expressions |
factor | /usr/bin | output prime factors of integers |
false | /bin | do nothing, unsuccessfully |
fmt | /usr/bin | reformat text |
fold | /usr/bin | wrap text |
groups | /usr/bin | output group memberships for users |
head | /usr/bin | output the first part |
hostid | /usr/bin | output hex identifier |
hostname | /bin | output or set hostname, domain, ip address |
id | /bin | output user and group information for user |
install | /usr/bin | copy files and set attributes |
join | /usr/bin | join sorted files |
kill | /bin | terminate a process |
link | /bin | make hard link |
ln | /bin | make hard or symbolic link |
logname | /usr/bin | return the user's login name |
ls | /bin | list file information |
md5sum | /usr/bin | compute/check 128-bit MD5 digest |
mkdir | /bin | create directories |
mkfifo | /usr/bin | create FIFOs (named pipes) |
mknod | /bin | create block, FIFO or character special files |
mktemp | /bin | make unique temporary files |
mv | /bin | move and/or rename |
nice | /bin | run with modified process scheduling |
nl | /usr/bin | output with line numbers |
nohup | /usr/bin | run ignoring hangup signals |
nproc | /usr/bin | output available processors |
numfmt | /usr/bin | reformat numbers |
od | /usr/bin | dump files in various formats |
paste | /usr/bin | merge corresponding or subsequent lines |
pathchk | /usr/bin | diagnose invalid or unportable file names |
pr | /usr/bin | paginate or columnate |
printenv | /usr/bin | output environment variables (env) |
printf | /usr/bin | print formatted |
ptx | /usr/bin | permuted index |
pwd | /bin | print working directory |
readlink | /usr/bin | output value of a symlink |
realpath | /usr/bin | output resolved absolute file name |
rm | /bin | remove files (unlink) or directories |
rmdir | /bin | remove empty directories |
seq | /usr/bin | output numeric sequences |
sha1sum | /usr/bin | compute/check 160-bit SHA digest |
sha224sum | /usr/bin | compute/check 224-bit SHA digest |
sha256sum | /usr/bin | compute/check 256-bit SHA digest |
sha384sum | /usr/bin | compute/check 384-bit SHA digest |
sha512sum | /usr/bin | compute/check 512-bit SHA digest |
shred | /usr/bin | overwrite files |
shuf | /usr/bin | output random permutation (shuffle) |
sleep | /bin | delay |
sort | /bin | sort, merge or compare |
split | /usr/bin | split files |
stat | /bin | report file or file system status |
stdbuf | /usr/bin | run with modified I/O stream |
stty | /bin | output or change terminal characteristics |
sum | /usr/bin | compute 16-bit checksum |
sync | /bin | force cached disk writes |
tac | /bin | concatenate in reverse |
tail | /usr/bin | output the last part |
tee | /usr/bin | copy/redirect output |
test | /usr/bin | evaluate expressions |
timeout | /usr/bin | run with a time limit |
touch | /bin | change timestamps |
tr | /usr/bin | translate, squeeze and/or delete |
true | /bin | do nothing, successfully |
truncate | /usr/bin | shrink or extend the size of files |
tsort | /usr/bin | topological sort |
tty | /usr/bin | output terminal device |
uname | /bin | output system information |
unexpand | /usr/bin | convert spaces to tabs |
uniq | /usr/bin | filter adjacent matching lines |
unlink | /bin | remove a file (rm) |
uptime | /usr/bin | system uptime and load |
users | /usr/bin | output who is currently logged in |
vdir | /usr/bin | list file information (ls -lb) |
wc | /usr/bin | count bytes, characters, words, lines |
who | /usr/bin | verbose output of who is currently logged in |
whoami | /usr/bin | effective user id |
yes | /usr/bin | repeatedly print a string until interrupted |