This article explains basic commands for navigation within Linux file system. The diagram below represents (part of) a Linux file system know as Filesystem Hierarchy Standard. A line from one node to a node on its right indicates containment. For example, the student directory is contained within the home directory.
1. When you are working within a shell terminal, you are always operating in a particular directory. To determine which directory you are in, use the pwd command:
student@linuxgym:$ pwd /usr/local/bin
student@linuxgym:$ cd
student@linuxgym:$ pwd /home/student
student@linuxgym:$
2. Your home directory is the directory you are in when you first open the terminal. To go to your home directory from anywhere, just type cd:
student@linuxgym:$ pwd
/usr/local/bin
student@linuxgym:$ cd
student@linuxgym:$ pwd
/home/student
student@linuxgym:$
3. An absolute path name is one beginning with the / character, which signifies the root of the file system tree. Therefore, another way of going to your home directory is:
student@linuxgym:/etc$ cd /home/student
student@linuxgym:$ pwd
/home/student
student@linuxgym:$
4. A relative path is one which starts with the name of a directory connected to the current directory. For example, if you are in the /usr directory, then typing only cd bin (without preceding "bin" with "/") has the following effect:
student@linuxgym:$ pwd
/usr
student@linuxgym:$ cd bin
student@linuxgym:$ pwd
/usr/bin
student@linuxgym:$
and you go to /usr/bin rather than /usr/local/bin or /bin.
5. To go to the directory containing the current working directory (also called the parent directory) type:
student@linuxgym:$ pwd
/usr/bin
student@linuxgym:$ cd ..
student@linuxgym:$ pwd
/usr
student@linuxgym:$
6. The relative pathname of the current working directory is called . (the full stop). Therefore typing:
student@linuxgym:$ pwd
/usr/bin
student@linuxgym:$ cd .
student@linuxgym:$ pwd
/usr/bin
student@linuxgym:$
does not change the current working directory.