Linux Directory Structure, Common Commands, and Vim Basics

Linux is the most widely used server operating system, based on Unix, open‑source and free, known for its stability and security, making it the preferred environment for running program code.

It can run continuously for long periods and is also embedded in various hardware such as smartphones and routers, with Android’s lowest layer built on Linux.

1. Linux Directory Structure

The root (/) contains several standard subdirectories:

bin : binary executable files

sbin : system binaries, accessible only by root

etc : system configuration files

usr : shared system resources

home : user home directories

root : root user’s home

dev : device files

lib : shared libraries and kernel modules

mnt : mount points for temporary filesystems

boot : boot loader files

tmp : temporary files

var : variable data such as logs

2. Common Linux Commands

Command format: command -options arguments (options and arguments may be omitted).

2.1 File and Directory Operations

Examples include ls -la /usr to list detailed contents of /usr .

2.2 System Commands

Various commands for system monitoring, process management, and networking are illustrated (images omitted).

2.3 Compression and Decompression

Commands for handling archive files are presented.

2.4 File Permission Operations

Permissions are displayed as a ten‑character string, where the first character indicates file type (d for directory, - for regular file, l for link) and the remaining nine characters represent read (r), write (w), and execute (x) permissions for user, group, and others, optionally expressed numerically (e.g., 764).

3. Linux Shortcut Keys and Symbolic Commands

Commonly used keyboard shortcuts and symbolic commands are listed.

4. Vim Editor

Vim is a powerful text editor on Linux that operates entirely via commands without menus. The article shows mode switching diagrams and covers:

Modifying text

Navigation commands

Search and replace

Deletion commands

Frequently used shortcuts

Each section includes illustrative screenshots.