UNIX® User’s Handbook, Second Edition

Chapter 2. UNIX File System Introduction- File System Layout, file and ls Commands

The Basics of UNIX

Nearly everything in UNIX comes down to files and directories. If you understand the hierarchical UNIX file system layout and how to manipulate files and directories, then you’re a long way toward understanding UNIX.

A lot goes into working with UNIX files and directories. This chapter covers the basics and background of files and directories in UNIX, including:

• The file command

• The ls command

• The file system layout

There are references to a number of UNIX operating systems in this chapter including Linux, because the commands covered apply to nearly all UNIX variants.

The next chapter covers commands related to files and directories. The only commands ...