Kali Linux commands cheat sheet

[MrGrj]

A

apropos : Search Help manual pages (man -k)
    apt-get : Search for and install software packages (Debian/Ubuntu)
    aptitude : Search for and install software packages (Debian/Ubuntu)
    aspell : Spell Checker
    awk : Find and Replace text, database sort/validate/index

B

basename : Strip directory and suffix from filenames
    bash : GNU Bourne-Again SHell
    bc : Arbitrary precision calculator language
    bg : Send to background
    break : Exit from a loop
    builtin : Run a shell builtin
    bzip2 : Compress or decompress named file(s)

C

cal : Display a calendar
    case : Conditionally perform a command
    cat : Concatenate and print (display) the content of files
    cd : Change Directory
    cfdisk : Partition table manipulator for Linux
    chgrp : Change group ownership
    chmod : Change access permissions
    chown : Change file owner and group
    chroot : Run a command with a different root directory
    chkconfig : System services (runlevel)
    cksum : Print CRC checksum and byte counts
    clear : Clear terminal screen
    cmp : Compare two files
    comm : Compare two sorted files line by line
    command : Run a command – ignoring shell functions •
    continue : Resume the next iteration of a loop •
    cp : Copy one or more files to another location
    cron : Daemon to execute scheduled commands
    crontab : Schedule a command to run at a later time
    csplit : Split a file into context-determined pieces
    cut : Divide a file into several parts

D

 date : Display or change the date & time
    dc : Desk Calculator
    dd : Convert and copy a file, write disk headers, boot records
    ddrescue : Data recovery tool
    declare : Declare variables and give them attributes •
    df : Display free disk space
    diff : Display the differences between two files
    diff3 : Show differences among three files
    dig : DNS lookup
    dir : Briefly list directory contents
    dircolors : Colour setup for `ls’
    dirname : Convert a full pathname to just a path
    dirs : Display list of remembered directories
    dmesg : Print kernel & driver messages
    du : Estimate file space usage

E

 echo : Display message on screen •
    egrep : Search file(s) for lines that match an extended expression
    eject : Eject removable media
    enable : Enable and disable builtin shell commands •
    env : Environment variables
    ethtool : Ethernet card settings
    eval : Evaluate several commands/arguments
    exec : Execute a command
    exit : Exit the shell
    expect : Automate arbitrary applications accessed over a terminal
    expand : Convert tabs to spaces
    export : Set an environment variable
    expr : Evaluate expressions

F

 false : Do nothing, unsuccessfully
    fdformat : Low-level format a floppy disk
    fdisk : Partition table manipulator for Linux
    fg : Send job to foreground
    fgrep : Search file(s) for lines that match a fixed string
    file : Determine file type
    find : Search for files that meet a desired criteria
    fmt : Reformat paragraph text
    fold : Wrap text to fit a specified width.
    for : Expand words, and execute commands
    format : Format disks or tapes
    free : Display memory usage
    fsck : File system consistency check and repair
    ftp : File Transfer Protocol
    function : Define Function Macros
    fuser : Identify/kill the process that is accessing a file

G

 gawk : Find and Replace text within file(s)
    getopts : Parse positional parameters
    grep : Search file(s) for lines that match a given pattern
    groupadd : Add a user security group
    groupdel : Delete a group
    groupmod : Modify a group
    groups : Print group names a user is in
    gzip : Compress or decompress named file(s)

H

hash : Remember the full pathname of a name argument
    head : Output the first part of file(s)
    help : Display help for a built-in command
    history : Command History
    hostname : Print or set system name

I

iconv : Convert the character set of a file
    id : Print user and group id’s
    if : Conditionally perform a command
    ifconfig : Configure a network interface
    ifdown : Stop a network interface
    ifup : Start a network interface up
    import : Capture an X server screen and save the image to file
    install : Copy files and set attributes

J

jobs : List active jobs
    join : Join lines on a common field

K

 kill : Stop a process from running
    killall : Kill processes by name

L

 less : Display output one screen at a time
    let : Perform arithmetic on shell variables
    ln : Create a symbolic link to a file
    local : Create variables
    locate : Find files
    logname : Print current login name
    logout : Exit a login shell
    look : Display lines beginning with a given string
    lpc : Line printer control program
    lpr : Off line print
    lprint : Print a file
    lprintd : Abort a print job
    lprintq : List the print queue
    lprm : Remove jobs from the print queue
    ls : List information about file(s)
    lsof : List open files

M

make : Recompile a group of programs
    man : Help manual
    mkdir : Create new folder(s)
    mkfifo : Make FIFOs (named pipes)
    mkisofs : Create an hybrid ISO9660/JOLIET/HFS filesystem
    mknod : Make block or character special files
    more : Display output one screen at a time
    mount : Mount a file system
    mtools : Manipulate MS-DOS files
    mtr : Network diagnostics (traceroute/ping)
    mv : Move or rename files or directories
    mmv : Mass Move and rename (files)

N

netstat : Networking information
    nice Set : the priority of a command or job
    nl Number : lines and write files
    nohup : Run a command immune to hangups
    notify-send : Send desktop notifications
    nslookup : Query Internet name servers interactively

O

open : Open a file in its default application
    op : Operator access

P

passwd : Modify a user password
    paste : Merge lines of files
    pathchk : Check file name portability
    ping : Test a network connection
    pkill : Stop processes from running
    popd : Restore the previous value of the current directory
    pr : Prepare files for printing
    printcap : Printer capability database
    printenv : Print environment variables
    printf : Format and print data •
    ps : Process status
    pushd : Save and then change the current directory
    pwd : Print Working Directory

Q

quota : Display disk usage and limits
    quotacheck : Scan a file system for disk usage
    quotactl : Set disk quotas

R

ram : ram disk device
    rcp : Copy files between two machines
    read : Read a line from standard input
    readarray : Read from stdin into an array variable
    readonly : Mark variables/functions as readonly
    reboot : Reboot the system
    rename : Rename files
    renice : Alter priority of running processes
    remsync : Synchronize remote files via email
    return : Exit a shell function
    rev : Reverse lines of a file
    rm : Remove files
    rmdir : Remove folder(s)
    rsync : Remote file copy (Synchronize file trees)

S

screen : Multiplex terminal, run remote shells via ssh
    scp : Secure copy (remote file copy)
    sdiff : Merge two files interactively
    sed : Stream Editor
    select : Accept keyboard input
    seq : Print numeric sequences
    set: Manipulate shell variables and functions
    sftp : Secure File Transfer Program
    shift : Shift positional parameters
    shopt : Shell Options
    shutdown : Shutdown or restart linux
    sleep : Delay for a specified time
    slocate : Find files
    sort : Sort text files
    source : Run commands from a file `.’
    split : Split a file into fixed-size pieces
    ssh : Secure Shell client (remote login program)
    strace : Trace system calls and signals
    su : Substitute user identity
    sudo : Execute a command as another user
    sum : Print a checksum for a file
    suspend : Suspend execution of this shell
    symlink : Make a new name for a file
    sync : Synchronize data on disk with memory

T

tail : Output the last part of file
    tar : Tape ARchiver
    tee : Redirect output to multiple files
    test : Evaluate a conditional expression
    time : Measure Program running time
    times : User and system times
    touch : Change file timestamps
    top : List processes running on the system
    traceroute : Trace Route to Host
    trap : Run a command when a signal is set(bourne)
    tr : Translate, squeeze, and/or delete characters
    true : Do nothing, successfully
    tsort : Topological sort
    tty : Print filename of terminal on stdin
    type : Describe a command

U

ulimit : Limit user resources
    umask : Users file creation mask
    umount : Unmount a device
    unalias : Remove an alias
    uname : Print system information
    unexpand : Convert spaces to tabs
    uniq : Uniquify files
    units : Convert units from one scale to another
    unset : Remove variable or function names
    unshar : Unpack shell archive scripts
    until : Execute commands (until error)
    uptime : Show uptime
    useradd : Create new user account
    userdel : Delete a user account
    usermod : Modify user account
    users : List users currently logged in
    uuencode : Encode a binary file
    uudecode : Decode a file created by uuencode

V

v : Verbosely list directory contents (`ls -l -b’)
    vdir : Verbosely list directory contents (`ls -l -b’)
    vi : Text Editor
    vmstat : Report virtual memory statistics

W

wait : Wait for a process to complete
    watch : Execute/display a program periodically
    wc : Print byte, word, and line counts
    whereis : Search the user’s $path, man pages and source files for a program
    which : Search the user’s $path for a program file
    while : Execute commands
    who : Print all usernames currently logged in
    whoami : Print the current user id and name (`id -un’)
    wget : Retrieve web pages or files via HTTP, HTTPS or FTP
    write : Send a message to another user

x

xargs : Execute utility, passing constructed argument list(s)
    xdg-open : Open a file or URL in the user’s preferred application.

Edited August 17, 2015 by MrGrj