Managing Files, Directories, and Text
Christine Bresnahan, Richard A. Blum · 2019
This chapter offers information on Linux command-line tool belt. Files on a Linux system are stored within a single directory structure, called a virtual directory. The virtual directory contains files from all the computer's storage devices and merges them into a single directory structure. This structure has a single base directory called the root directory that is often simply called root. The most basic command for viewing a file's name and its various metadata is the list command. Metadata is information that describes and provides additional details about data. Copying, moving, and renaming files and directories are essential skills. They are several nuances between the commands to complete these tasks that are important to know. To copy a file or directory locally, use the cp command. To issue this command, you use cp along with any needed options or arguments. Understanding file and directory links is a vital part of your Linux journey. While many quickly pick up how to link files, they do not necessarily understand the underlying link structure. Understanding file and directory links is a vital part of your Linux journey. While many quickly pick up how to link files, they do not necessarily understand the underlying link structure. And that can be a problem. There are two types of links. One is a symbolic link, which is also called a soft link. The other is a hard link.