Common UNIX Utilities Alphabetical List addbib - create or extend a bibliographic database apropos - locate commands by keyword lookup ar - create library archives, and add or extract files at - execute a command or script at a specified time awk - pattern scanning and processing language banner - display a string in large letters basename - display portions of pathnames and filenames batch - runs jobs when the system load level permits biff - give notice of incoming mail messages cal - display a calendar calendar - a simple reminder service cancel - cancel requests to a printer cat - concatenate and display cb - a simple C program beautifier cc - C compiler cd - change working directory checknr - check nroff and troff input files; report possible errors checkeq - checks documents formatted with memorandum macros chgrp - change the group ownership of a file chmod - change the permissions mode of a file clear - clear the terminal screen cmp - perform a byte-by-byte comparison of two files colcrt - filter nroff output for a terminal lacking overstrike capability comm - selects or rejects lines common to two sorted files compress - compress files (see uncompress also) cp - copy files cpio - copy file archives in and out cpp - the C language preprocessor csh - a shell with a C-like syntax and advanced interactive features ctags - create a tags file for use with ex and vi cut - Writes out selected bytes, characters, or fields from each line of a file date - display or set the date dbx - source-level debugger deroff - remove nroff, troff, tbl and eqn constructs df - report free disk space on file systems diff - display line-by-line differences between pairs of text files du - display the number of disk blocks used per directory or file e - starts the INed editor echo - echo arguments to the standard output ed, red - basic line editor edit - provides a simple line editor for the new user eqn - formats mathematical text for the troff command. ex - edits lines interactively, with a screen display expand - expand TAB characters to SPACE characters (see unexpand) expr - evaluate arguments as a logical, arithmetic, or string expression false - provide truth values (see true also) file - determine the type of a file by examining its contents find - find files by name, or by other characteristics finger - display information about users 1
fmt - formats mail messages prior to sending fold - folds long lines for finite-width output device ftp - file transfer program gprof - display call-graph profile data grep - search a file for a string or regular expression groups - display a user's group memberships head - display first few lines of specified files hostname - set or print name of current host system indent - indent and format a C program source file install - install files join - relational database operator kill - send a signal to a process, or terminate a process last - indicate last logins by user or terminal ld - link editor leave - remind you when you have to leave lex - lexical analysis program generator lint - a C program verifier ln - make hard or symbolic links to files login - log in to the system look - find words in the system dictionary or lines in a sorted list lookbib - find references in a bibliographic database lorder - find an ordering relation for an object library lp - send requests to a printer lpq - display the queue of printer jobs lpr - send a job to the printer lprm - remove jobs from the printer queue ls - list the contents of a directory mail, Mail - read or send mail messages make - maintain, update, and regenerate related programs and files man - display reference manual pages mesg - permit or deny messages on the terminal mkdir - make a directory mkstr - create an error message file by massaging C source files more - browse or page through a text file mv - move or rename files nice - run a command at low priority nm - print symbol name list neqn - formats mathematical text for the nroff command. nroff - format documents for display or line-printer od - octal, decimal, hexadecimal, and ascii dump page - browse or page through a text file passwd - change local password information paste - joins lines from one or more files pr - prepare files for printing, perhaps in multiple columns prof - display profile data ps - display the status of current processes pwd - display the pathname of the current working directory ranlib - convert archives to random libraries rcp - remote file copy rev - reverse the order of characters in each line rlogin - remote login rm - remove files or directories rmdir - remove directories roffbib - format and print a bibliographic database rsh - remote shell rup - show host status of local machines RPC version ruptime - show host status of local machines rusers - who's logged in on local machines RPC version rwall - write to all users over a network 2
rwho - who's logged in on local machines sccs - front end for the Source Code Control System SCCS. Includes a number of related commands with their own man pages. script - make typescript of a terminal session sed - stream editor sh - shell, the standard UNIX system command interpreter and command-level language size - display the size of an object file sleep - suspend execution for a specified interval sort - sort and collate lines sortbib - sort a bibliographic database spell - report spelling errors split - split a file into pieces strings - find printable strings in an object file or binary strip - remove symbols and relocation bits from an object file stty - sets, resets, and reports workstation operating parameters su - super-user, temporarily switch to a new user ID tabs - set tab stops on a terminal tail - display the last part of a file talk - talk to another user tar - create tape archives, and add or extract files tbl - format tables for nroff or troff tee - replicate the standard output telnet - user interface to a remote system using the TELNET protocol test - evaluates conditional expressions tftp - trivial file transfer program time - time a command touch - update the access and modification times of a file troff - typeset or format documents true - provide truth values (see false also) tsort - topological sort tty - display the name of the terminal ul - do underlining uncompress - uncompress files (see compress also) uniq - remove or report adjacent duplicate lines units - conversion program uptime - show how long the system has been up users - display a compact list of users logged in uucp - system to system copy unexpand - restores TAB characters from SPACE characters (see expand) vacation - reply to mail automatically vi, vedit - visual display editor view - starts the vi editor in read-only mode w - who is logged in, and what are they doing wait - wait for a process to finish wall - write to all users logged in wc - display a count of lines, words and characters whatis - describes what function a command performs whereis - locates source, binary, or manual for program which - locates a program file, including aliases and paths who - identifies the users currently logged in whoami - display your username write - send messages to other users on the system in real time xargs - constructs parameter lists and runs commands xstr - extract strings from C programs to implement shared strings yacc - yet another compiler-compiler: parsing program generator yes - outputs an affirmative response repetitively zcat - display compressed files 3
Functional List Files and Directories ar - create library archives, and add or extract files basename - display portions of pathnames and filenames cat - concatenate and display cd - change working directory chgrp - change the group ownership of a file chmod - change the permissions mode of a file cmp - perform a byte-by-byte comparison of two files comm - selects or rejects lines common to two sorted files compress - compress files (see uncompress also) cp - copy files cpio - copy file archives in and out csh - a shell with a C-like syntax and advanced interactive features cut - Writes out selected bytes, characters, or fields from each line of a file df - report free disk space on file systems diff - display line-by-line differences between pairs of text files du - display the number of disk blocks used per directory or file expand - expand TAB characters to SPACE characters (see unexpand) file - determine the type of a file by examining its contents find - find files by name, or by other characteristics install - install files ftp - file transfer program grep - search a file for a string or regular expression head - display first few lines of specified files ln - make hard or symbolic links to files ls - list the contents of a directory mkdir - make a directory more - browse or page through a text file mv - move or rename files od - octal, decimal, hexadecimal, and ascii dump page - browse or page through a text file paste - joins lines from one or more files pwd - display the pathname of the current working directory rcp - remote file copy rev - reverse the order of characters in each line rm - remove files or directories rmdir - remove directories size - display the size of an object file sort - sort and collate lines spell - report spelling errors split - split a file into pieces strings - find printable strings in an object file or binary strip - remove symbols and relocation bits from an object file tail - display the last part of a file tar - create tape archives, and add or extract files tee - replicate the standard output tftp - trivial file transfer program touch - update the access and modification times of a file uncompress - uncompress files (see compress also) uniq - remove or report adjacent duplicate lines unexpand - restores TAB characters from SPACE characters (see expand) wc - display a count of lines, words and characters zcat - display compressed files 4
Information Mail apropos - locate commands by keyword lookup hostname - set or print name of current host system man - display reference manual pages rup - show host status of local machines RPC version ruptime - show host status of local machines uptime - show how long the system has been up whatis - describes what function a command performs whereis - locates source, binary, or manual for program which - locates a program file, including aliases and paths biff - give notice of incoming mail messages mail, Mail - read or send mail messages vacation - reply to mail automatically Miscellaneous Printing banner - display a string in large letters cal - display a calendar calendar - a simple reminder service date - display or set the date join - relational database operator echo - echo arguments to the standard output look - find words in the system dictionary or lines in a sorted list leave - remind you when you have to leave script - make typescript of a terminal session tsort - topological sort units - conversion program yes - outputs an affirmative response repetitively cancel - cancel requests to a printer lp - send requests to a printer lpq - display the queue of printer jobs lpr - send a job to the printer lprm - remove jobs from the printer queue pr - prepare files for printing, perhaps in multiple columns Programming Tools ar - create library archives, and add or extract files awk - pattern scanning and processing language cb - a simple C program beautifier cc - C compiler cpp - the C language preprocessor dbx - source-level debugger indent - indent and format a C program source file gprof - display call-graph profile data ld - link editor lex - lexical analysis program generator lint - a C program verifier lorder - find an ordering relation for an object library make - maintain, update, and regenerate related programs and files mkstr - create an error message file by massaging C source files nm - print symbol name list 5
prof - display profile data ranlib - convert archives to random libraries sccs - front end for the Source Code Control System SCCS. Includes a number of related commands with their own man pages. size - display the size of an object file strip - remove symbols and relocation bits from an object file xstr - extract strings from C programs to implement shared strings yacc - yet another compiler-compiler: parsing program generator Shells, Job Control and Access at - execute a command or script at a specified time batch - runs jobs when the system load level permits expr - evaluate arguments as a logical, arithmetic, or string expression false - provide truth values (see true also) kill - send a signal to a process, or terminate a process login - log in to the system nice - run a command at low priority passwd - change local password information ps - display the status of current processes rlogin - remote login rsh - remote shell sh - shell, the standard UNIX system command interpreter and command level language sleep - suspend execution for a specified interval su - super-user, temporarily switch to a new user ID telnet - user interface to a remote system using the TELNET protocol test - evaluates conditional expressions time - time a command true - provide truth values (see false also) wait - wait for a process to finish xargs - constructs parameter lists and runs commands Terminal Related clear - clear the terminal screen mesg - permit or deny messages on the terminal stty - sets, resets, and reports workstation operating parameters tabs - set tab stops on a terminal tty - display the name of the terminal Text Formatting and Editing addbib - create or extend a bibliographic database checknr - check nroff and troff input files; report possible errors checkeq - checks documents formatted with memorandum macros colcrt - filter nroff output for a terminal lacking overstrike capability ctags - create a tags file for use with ex and vi deroff - remove nroff, troff, tbl and eqn constructs e - starts the INed editor ed, red - basic line editor edit - provides a simple line editor for the new user eqn - formats mathematical text for the troff command. ex - edits lines interactively, with a screen display fmt - formats mail messages prior to sending fold - folds long lines for finite-width output device lookbib - find references in a bibliographic database neqn - formats mathematical text for the nroff command. nroff - format documents for display or line-printer roffbib - format and print a bibliographic database 6
sed - stream editor sortbib - sort a bibliographic database tbl - format tables for nroff or troff troff - typeset or format documents ul - do underlining vi, vedit - visual display editor view - starts the vi editor in read-only mode User Information and Communication finger - display information about users groups - display a user's group memberships last - indicate last logins by user or terminal rusers - who's logged in on local machines RPC version rwall - write to all users over a network rwho - who's logged in on local machines talk - talk to another user users - display a compact list of users logged in w - who is logged in, and what are they doing wall - write to all users logged in write - send messages to other users on the system in real time who - identifies the users currently logged in whoami - display your username uucp / BNU uucp - system to system copy uuencode, uudecode - encode a binary file, or decode its ASCII representation uulog - provides information about BNU file-transfer activities on a system. uuname - provides information about other systems accessible to the local system uusend - send a file to a remote host uux - runs a command on another UNIX-based system 7