Hey folks! 👋

Welcome back to our Linux command line series. If you've been following along, you've already dipped your toes into the terminal and started getting comfortable with basic commands. In this third part, we're stepping into one of the core skills every Linux user needs—navigating the filesystem.

Understanding how to move around your directories, find files, and list contents is key to becoming comfortable in the Linux environment. So, let's jump right into it—with simple examples and some Windows comparisons to keep things relatable. 😄

🔍 Where am I? (pwd)

The first thing you’ll often want to know in a terminal session is: Where exactly am I right now?

That’s where pwd comes in. It stands for Print Working Directory.

Example: 

pwd

Output: 

/home/user/Documents

This tells you that you're currently inside the Documents folder, which is under your home directory. Think of it like looking at the address bar in Windows Explorer.

📁 Seeing What's Around (ls)

The ls command is your go-to for listing the contents of any directory.

Example: 

ls

Output: 

project1  notes.txt  screenshots  music.mp3

This shows everything inside your current directory. It's like opening a folder in Windows and seeing all the files and subfolders.

Useful Flags:

  • ls -l: Shows detailed information (like file size, permissions, and timestamps).
  • ls -a: Lists hidden files too (those that start with a .).
  • ls -lh: Combines it all with human-readable file sizes.

🚶‍♀️ Moving Around (cd)

Now let’s say you want to go from your current folder into a subfolder called project1.

Example: 

cd project1

To go back one step:

cd ..

To go to your home directory (from anywhere):

cd ~

To go to the root directory:

cd /

Windows comparison: This is like double-clicking folders in Windows File Explorer or clicking the "Back" button.

🧭 A Quick Recap of Navigation

Task Linux Command Windows Equivalent
Show current folder pwd Address bar in File Explorer
List files in folder ls Opening a folder
Move into a folder cd foldername Double-clicking a folder
Go back one folder cd .. Clicking the back arrow
Go to home directory cd ~ C:\Users\YourName

💡 Bonus Tip: Tab Completion

When typing long folder or file names, you can hit the Tab key and Linux will try to auto-complete it for you. It saves time and avoids typos!

🧪** Practice Time**

Try these steps:

  1. Open your terminal.
  2. Run pwd to see where you are.
  3. Use ls to see what’s in your current folder.
  4. Move into a folder using cd.
  5. Come back using cd ...

Exploring this way builds muscle memory and helps you become fluent with the Linux terminal.

🔚 Wrapping Up

That’s it for this part! Now you know how to navigate like a pro. In the next post, we’ll dive into file and directory management—creating, moving, copying, and deleting files from the command line. 🛠️

If you’re enjoying this series, don’t forget to bookmark it or share it with someone who's just getting started with Linux. And feel free to drop your questions or suggestions for future topics—we’re building this series together! 😊