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--- products:ict:linux:basic_commands [2023/05/12 11:50] – wikiadmin
+++ products:ict:linux:basic_commands [2023/08/26 13:31] (current) – wikiadmin
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 On a side note, Linux’s shell is case sensitive. So, you have to type the name’s directory exactly as it is.
+The `cd` command in Linux is used to change the current working directory in the terminal. It allows you to navigate the file system and switch between different directories. Here's a detailed tutorial on how to use the `cd` command:
+### Basic Usage:
+To use the `cd` command, open your terminal and follow these steps:
+. **Open the Terminal:** You can usually find the terminal application in the Applications menu or by searching for it.
+. **View Current Directory:** When you open the terminal, you are in a specific directory. You can see the current directory's path in the terminal prompt. For instance, if the prompt shows something like:
+   ```
+   user@hostname:~/Documents$
+   ```
+   The `~/Documents` part indicates that you're currently in the `Documents` directory within your home directory.
+. **Changing Directory:** To change to a different directory, type `cd` followed by the path to the directory you want to navigate to. For example, if you want to move to the `Downloads` directory:
+   ```bash
+   cd Downloads
+   ```
+   If the directory name has spaces, enclose it in quotes:
+   ```bash
+   cd "My Documents"
+   ```
+### Directory Paths:
+There are several ways to specify the directory path with the `cd` command:
+- **Absolute Path:** An absolute path starts from the root directory (`/`). For example:
+  ```bash
+  cd /home/user/Documents
+  ```
+- **Relative Path:** A relative path starts from the current directory. For example, if you are in the `/home/user` directory:
+  ```bash
+  cd Documents
+  ```
+  This takes you to `/home/user/Documents`.
+- **Parent Directory (..):** You can use `..` to refer to the parent directory. For example, if you're in `/home/user/Documents`, you can use:
+  ```bash
+  cd ..
+  ```
+  This moves you up to `/home/user`.
+- **Home Directory (~):** The tilde (`~`) symbol represents your home directory. For example:
+  ```bash
+  cd ~/Downloads
+  ```
+  This takes you to `/home/user/Downloads`.
+### Special Directories:
+There are a few special directory shortcuts you can use with `cd`:
+- **`-`:** Use a single hyphen (`-`) to switch to the previous directory you were in.
+- **`.`:** A single dot (`.`) represents the current directory. This is often used when you want to refer to the current directory explicitly.
+### Tips and Shortcuts:
+- Pressing the `Tab` key while typing a directory name auto-completes it. This is useful when dealing with long directory names.
+- You can use the `Tab` key twice to see a list of available options if the directory name is ambiguous.
+- The `cd` command without any arguments takes you to your home directory.
+### Examples:
+Here are a few more examples of using the `cd` command:
+. Move to the parent directory:
+   ```bash
+   cd ..
+   ```
+. Move to the root directory:
+   ```bash
+   cd /
+   ```
+. Move to a directory with spaces:
+   ```bash
+   cd "My Documents"
+   ```
+. Move to a subdirectory within the current directory:
+   ```bash
+   cd Subfolder
+   ```
+. Go back to the previous directory:
+   ```bash
+   cd -
+   ```
+Remember that the `cd` command only changes the current working directory within the terminal session. It doesn't affect other open terminal sessions or your file system outside of the terminal.
 **ls command**