Working with Directories

Working with files and directories is a fundamental skill in any command-line environment. It helps you efficiently navigate projects, manage source code, and maintain systems across different platforms.

• Create, list, move, and remove files or directories using standard commands.
• Use Unix-like tools available in Linux, macOS, and Git Bash on Windows.
• Manage project files effectively while working with Git and repositories.

Changing Directories

Navigating between directories allows you to move through the file system hierarchy. This is done using the cd (change directory) command.

Move into a Directory

This command changes the current working directory to /home/user/Documents.

cd /home/user/Documents

Move to the Parent Directory

This moves you one level up to the parent directory.

cd ..

Creating Files and Directories

Creating files and folders helps organize your work efficiently.

Creating Files

The touch command is used to create an empty file.

touch myfile.txt

This creates a file named myfile.txt in the current directory.

Creating Directories

Directories are created using the mkdir (make directory) command.

mkdir my_directory

This creates a new directory called my_directory.

Listing Directory Contents

To see files and directories inside a folder, use the ls command.

Basic Listing

Lists files and directories in the current directory.

ls

Detailed Listing

Displays file permissions, ownership, size, and modification date.

ls -l

Show Hidden Files

Shows hidden files (files starting with .).

ls -a

Combined Options

Displays detailed information for all files, including hidden ones.

ls -la

Listing Files Tracked by Git

Before modifying or removing files in a Git repository, it’s useful to know what Git is tracking.

git ls-files

This command lists all files currently tracked by Git in the repository.

Removing Files and Directories in Git

Git provides commands to safely remove files and directories while keeping version history consistent.

Removing a File

git rm filename

This removes the file from the working directory and stages the removal for the next commit.

Removing a Directory

git rm -r directoryname

The -r (recursive) option removes the directory along with all its contents.

Remove from Git but Keep Locally

git rm --cached filename

This removes the file from Git tracking but keeps it in your local file system.

Copying Directories Using Git Bash

Git Bash includes standard Unix utilities like cp and mv, making it useful beyond Git operations.

Copy a Directory

cp -r /path/to/source_directory /path/to/destination_directory

• cp copies files or directories
• -r enables recursive copying
• The destination’s parent directory must already exist

If the destination directory exists, the source directory is copied inside it as a subdirectory.

Moving Directories Using Git Bash

Directories can be moved or renamed using the mv command.

mv /path/to/source_directory /path/to/destination_directory

• The source directory is removed from its original location
• If the destination exists, the directory is moved inside it
• To overwrite an existing directory, it must be deleted first