How to navigate the Linux filesystem with cd, ls, and pwd

Navigating the Linux Filesystem

Every command you run in the terminal happens inside a directory. These three commands tell you where you are and let you move around.

pwd — print working directory

pwd
# /home/yourname

pwd prints your current location. Run it whenever you feel lost.

ls — list directory contents

ls            # basic list
ls -l         # long format: permissions, size, date
ls -la        # includes hidden files (names starting with .)
ls -lh        # human-readable sizes (KB, MB)

Files beginning with . are hidden by default. Your shell config (.bashrc, .zshrc) and SSH keys (.ssh/) live here.

cd — change directory

cd /etc               # absolute path
cd Documents          # relative path
cd ..                 # go up one level
cd ~                  # go to home directory
cd -                  # go back to previous directory

Absolute paths start with /. Relative paths do not. ~ always expands to your home directory.

Practical flow

pwd
ls -la
cd ~/projects
ls

Tab completion works in every directory: type the first few letters of a name and press Tab. Double-Tab lists all matches.