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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
• 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
• 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

Common UNIX Utilities
Functional List

• Files and Directories
• Information
• Mail
• Miscellaneous
• Printing
• Programming Tools
• Shells, Job Control and Access
• Terminal Related
• Text Formatting and Editing
• User Information and Communications
• uucp / BNU

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

Information

• 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

Mail

• biff - give notice of incoming mail messages
• mail, Mail - read or send mail messages
• vacation - reply to mail automatically

Miscellaneous

• 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

Printing

• 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
• 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
• 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

This concludes the tutorial. Return to the Table of Contents