Learning Objectives
- Determine your exact current location in the file system using pwd
- List files and folders, including hidden and detailed views, using ls and its flags
- Navigate between folders using cd and its shortcuts
- Explain the folder structure of a typical healthcare IT project
Outcome
By the end of Course 1, learners can confidently navigate, create, inspect, search, and safely remove files and folders from the command line, and can run the basic diagnostic commands (permissions, processes, disk space) that hospital IT teams use every day – setting them up to use Git and GitHub with confidence in Courses 2 and 3.
Key Topics Covered
Mental model: the file system as a building with many rooms (folders)
Basic Commands
| Command | Meaning |
|---|---|
| pwd | print working directory |
| ls | list directory contents |
| cd | change directory |
Variations of ls
- ls -l → list (long format) → detailed view (permissions, size, date, etc.)
- ls -a → list (all) → includes hidden files (those starting with
.) - ls -lh → list (long, human-readable) → sizes shown as KB, MB, etc.
Variations of cd
- cd .. → change directory to parent directory
- cd ~ → change directory to home directory
- cd / → change directory to root directory
- cd – → change directory to previous directory