In Linux, we often use the terminal (command-line interface) instead of a graphical file manager like Windows Explorer to create, move, rename, and delete files. The terminal is faster and more powerful, allowing us to handle multiple files quickly

1. Creating Files and Folders

Create a new file:

touch info.txt

(This creates an empty file called info.txt in the current directory.)

Create a new folder (directory):

mkdir Storage

(This makes a folder called Storage in the current directory.)

Create multiple folders inside each other:

mkdir -p Storage/local/user/documents

(This creates the whole folder structure in one command.)

Check the folder structure:

tree .

(This shows all files and folders inside the current directory in a tree format.)

2. Creating Files in Specific Folders

Create a file inside a folder:

touch Storage/local/user/userinfo.txt

(This creates userinfo.txt inside Storage/local/user/.)

3. Renaming and Moving Files

Rename a file:

mv info.txt information.txt

(This renames info.txt to information.txt.)

Move a file to a different folder:

mv information.txt Storage/

(This moves information.txt into the Storage folder.)

4. Copying Files

Copy a file to another location:

cp Storage/readme.txt Storage/local/

(This copies readme.txt from Storage/ to Storage/local/ without removing the original.)

5. Deleting Files and Folders

Delete a file:

rm filename.txt

(This removes filename.txt permanently.)

Delete an empty folder:

rmdir foldername

(This removes foldername only if it’s empty.)

Delete a folder with all its contents:

rm -r foldername

(This removes foldername and everything inside it.)

6. Editing Files

Instead of using a GUI editor, you can edit files directly in the terminal:

Edit a file using nano (simple editor):

nano filename.txt

(Opens the file for editing. Press CTRL + X, then Y, then Enter to save and exit.)

Edit a file using vim (advanced editor):

vim filename.txt

Why Use the Terminal?

• Faster than using a mouse and clicking through folders.
• More powerful, allowing you to work with multiple files at once.
• Essential for remote work, as Linux servers often don’t have a graphical interface.