Entering The Terminal

As you get more familiar with executing commands, there are some fundamental rules that come along with them.

Case Sensitivity

All commands are case-sensitive, so LS and ls are NOT the same thing. Get the casing wrong and the command just won't work.

Arguments

Commands often allow you to input arguments, which are parameters that change the way they function. For example: running the ls command displays files, but adding the -a argument (ls -a) allows it to also display hidden files. (We will go more into depth in a future lesson.)

Command History

The terminal saves a history of your recent commands. If you press the up arrow, you can go to the previous command(s) without the annoyance of retyping the whole string.

Responsibility

Know what you're typing. A lack of understanding can lead to unforeseen consequences. YOU hold the power. Linux won’t question you no matter what you ask it to do. If you tell it to delete everything, it won’t hesitate to do so. With great power comes great responsibility.