Linux Filesystem Navigation Basics

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.

In this tutorial you will learn:

• How to use pwd command
• How to use cd command
• How to navigate to user home directory
• Difference between relative vs absolute
• What is a parent directory

Software Requirements and Conventions Used

Software Requirements and Linux Command Line Conventions

Category	Requirements, Conventions or Software Version Used
System	Linux distribution agnostic
Software	N/A
Other	Privileged access to your Linux system as root or via the sudo command.
Conventions	# - requires given linux commands to be executed with root privileges either directly as a root user or by use of sudo command $ - requires given linux commands to be executed as a regular non-privileged user

Linux Filesystem Navigation Basics step by step instructions

The below instructions are the absolute minimum a beginner GNU/Linux user needs to master to be able to perform even the simplest tasks on a GNU/Linux command line. Once you learn the basics below, you are ready to move to more advanced command line topics.

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@linuxconfig:$ pwd /usr/local/bin 
   student@linuxconfig:$ cd 
   student@linuxconfig:$ pwd /home/student 
   student@linuxconfig:$ 

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 command:

   student@linuxconfig:$ pwd
   /usr/local/bin
   student@linuxconfig:$ cd
   student@linuxconfig:$ pwd
   /home/student
   student@linuxconfig:$ 

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@linuxconfig:/etc$ cd /home/student
   student@linuxconfig:$ pwd
   /home/student
   student@linuxconfig:$

   For more information regarding the Relative vs Absolute path visit our bash scripting tutorial.
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@linuxconfig:$ pwd
   /usr
   student@linuxconfig:$ cd bin
   student@linuxconfig:$ pwd
   /usr/bin
   student@linuxconfig:$

   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@linuxconfig:$ pwd
   /usr/bin
   student@linuxconfig:$ cd ..
   student@linuxconfig:$ pwd
   /usr
   student@linuxconfig:$

6. The relative pathname of the current working directory is called . (the full stop). Therefore typing:

   student@linuxconfig:$ pwd
   /usr/bin
   student@linuxconfig:$ cd . 
   student@linuxconfig:$ pwd
   /usr/bin
   student@linuxconfig:$

   does not change the current working directory.