Basic Linux & Windows commands paralleled

Here's a quick translation dictionary between Windows and UNIX shell commands. Remember that Windows separates path elements with \, while UNIX uses /. Remember also that Windows has different directory trees, one for each drive letter (file system). UNIX has only one tree.

Basic Shell Commands

 

 

Most commonly used:

UNIX Command	Windows Equivalent
ls	dir
pwd	cd
cd path	cd path
cat	type
ping	ping
ifconfig	ipconfig
nslookup	nslookup
traceroute	tracert
nmap	n/a
nc	nc

 

Windows	UNIX	Summary	Ex (Windows)	Ex (UNIX)
dir	ls	list contents of current directory	C:> dir	$ ls
cd	pwd	display current directory	C:> cd	$ pwd
cd path	cd path	change current directory	C:> cd \Users\m159999	$ cd /home/m159999
copy path1 path2	cp path1 path2	copy file path1 to name/location path2	C:> copy foo.txt bar.txt	$ cp foo.txt bar.txt
move path path	mv path path	move file path1 to name/location path2	C:> move foo.txt ..\backup\	$ mv foo.txt ../backup/
del path	rm path	delete file path	C:> del foo.txt	$ rm foo.txt
rmdir path	rmdir path	delete folder/directory path	C:> rmdir images	$ rmdir images
mkdir path	mkdir path	create folder/directory path	C:> mkdir images	$ mkdir images
type path	cat path	print file path to screen	C:> type index.html	$ cat index.html
Notepad path	gedit path nano path	Open file path in a text editor (nano doesn't require the GUI)	C:> Notepad foo.txt	$ gedit foo.txt $ nano foo.txt
whoami	whoami	Tells the username for the account that is executing the command.	C:> whoami	$ whoami

Basic Networking Tools

 

 

Tool	Summary	Examples
ssh	Open shell on remote UNIX host securely.	$ ssh m159999@rona.cs.usna.edu
rdesktop	Open desktop on remote Windows host securely.	$ rdesktop mich300csd01w.academy.usna.edu
ping	Check whether host with name/IPAddess is alive	$ ping 10.2.0.5
trace[route/rt]	Determine route taken by packets to given host	$ traceroute www.mit.edu
nslookup	Translates domain names to IP addresses and vice versa Optional second argument specifies what nameserver to use.	C:> nslookup www.mit.edu $ nslookup www.mit.edu ns1.usna.edu
ipconfig ifconfig	Displays information about current network settings ipconfig is for Windows, ifconfig is for UNIX.	C:> ipconfig $ ifconfig
netstat	Displays information on current port usage (-a shows "all")	$ netstat -a
nc	Netcat - lets you send and recieve tcp/udp traffic	$ nc 143.84.217.3 80
hostname	Tells you the name of the "host" (i.e. computer) that's executing the command.	$ hostname

Follow these steps to open an Administrator shell in Windows:

1. Press the System (Windows) key
2. Type in: cmd
3. Right-click cmd.exe to bring up the context menu.
4. Select Run as administrator.