Computer Labs

UNIX Server Commands

This document is an alphabetical list of many commands found on the Unix servers: apache, jupiter, and inca. Not all commands and programs are listed.

For more information on individual commands, log onto a server and type man command, where command is the UNIX command listed below; e.g., man date.

Command	Description

a2p	Translates Awk programs to Perl.
adb	General purpose debugger.
answer	Phone message transcription system for Elm.
ar	Create library archives and add or extract files.
arch	Display the architecture of the current host.
as	Assemblers.

basename	Strip directory and suffix from filenames.
bash	GNU Bourne Again SHell.
bc	Arbitrary precision arithmetic language.

c2ph	Converts C programs to Perl.
cal	Display a calendar.
cat	Display and concatenate files.
chgrp	Change the group ownership of files.
chmod	Change the access permissions of files.
cksum	Checksum and count the bytes in a file.
clear	Clear the screen.
cmp	Perform a byte by byte comparison of two files.
col	Filter reverse paper motions from nroff output.
comm	Compare two sorted files line by line.
compress	Compression utility.
cp	Copy files.
cpio	Copy files to and from archives.
csh	A shell (command interpreter).
csplit	Split a file into sections by context lines.
cut	Remove sections from each line of files.

date	Print the date and time.
dbx	Source level debugger.
dc	Desk calculator.
dd	Convert and copy files with various data formats.
deroff	Remove nroff, troff, tbl and eqn codes from files.
df	Summarize free disk space.
diff	Display line by line differences between text files.
dirname	Strip filename suffix from pathname.
du	Summarize disk usage.

echo	Display a line of text.
ed, red	Basic line editor.
elm	Electronic mail system.
elmalias	Expand and display Elm address aliases.
emacs	GNU Emacs text editor.
env	Run a program in a modified environment.
eqn, neqn, checkeq	Typeset mathematical equations.
etags, ctags	Generate tag file for Emacs & vi.
ex, edit, e	Line editor.
expand, unexpand	Expand TAB to SPACE characters and vice versa.
expr	Evaluate expressions.
extcompose	Compose a reference to external data for mail.

false	Do nothing and return false.
fastmail	Quick batch mail interface to a single address.
file	Determine the type of a file.
filter	Filter incoming mail messages.
find	Find files by name or by other characteristics.
fold	Wrap each input line to fit in specified width.
frm, nfrm	List from and subject of selected mail messages.
ftp	File transfer program.

g++	GNU C++ Compiler (v2.4).
gawk	Pattern scanning and processing language.
gcc, g++	GNU C and C++ Compiler (v2.4).
getfilename	Ask the user to name a file in a given format.
gopher	Use the UTD Gopher information server.
grep, egrep, fgrep	Search a file.
gzip, gunzip, zcat	Compress or expand files.

h2ph	Convert .h C header files to .ph Perl header files.
head	Output the first part of files.

id	Print real and effective UIDs and GIDs.
ispell, buildhash,	Spell checker.
munchlist, findaffix,
tryaffix

join	Join lines of two files on a common field.

kermit	Kermit file transfer program.
kill	Send a signal to a process, or terminate a process.

last	Indicate last logins by user or terminal.
ld	Link editor, dynamic link editor.
listalias	List user and system aliases for Elm.
ln	Make links between files.
logger	Add entries to the system log.
logname	Print user's login name.
lpq	Display the queue of printer jobs.
lp	Send a job to the printer.
lprm	Remove jobs from the printer queue.
ls	List contents of directories.

mach	Display the processor type of the current host.
mailto	Simple multimedia mail sending program.
make	Maintain and regenerate related programs and files.
man	Display and find reference manual pages.
mesg	Permit or deny messages on the terminal.
messages	Quick count of messages in mailbox or folder.
metamail	Mailcap based multimedia mail handling.
metasend	Crude interface for sending non text mail.
mimencode	Translate to and from mail oriented encoding format.
mkdir	Make directories.
mkfifo	Make FIFOs (named pipes).
more	View a text file.
mset	Retrieve ASCII to IBM 3270 keyboard map.
mv	Rename files.

newalias	Install new Elm aliases.
newgrp	Log in to a new group.
newmail, wnewmail	Programs to asynchronously notify of new mail.
nice	Run a program with a lower priority.
nm	List symbols from object files.
nohup	Run a command immune to hangups.
nroff	Format documents for display or line printer.
null	Data sink.
nispasswd	Password changing utility.

paste	Merge lines of files.
patch	Apply a diff file to an original.
pathchk	Check whether pathnames are valid or portable.
pax	Portable archive exchange.
perl	Practical Extraction and Report Language.
pico	Simple and easy to use text editor.
pine	Easy to use electronic mail program.
pr	Convert text files for printing.
printf	Format and print data.
printmail	Format mail in a readable fashion for printing.
ps	Display the status of current processes.
pwd	Display the pathname of the current directory.

ranlib	Convert archives to random libraries.
readmsg	Extract messages from a mail folder.
refer	Expand and insert references from a bibliography.
richtext	View a richtext document.
rlogin	Remote login.
rm	Remove files.
rmdir	Remove empty directories.

s2p	Send to Perl program translator.
sas	The SAS system.
script	Log a session to a file.
sed	Stream editor.
sh	Bourne shell.
showexternal	Fetch and display external body of a mail message.
shownonascii	View a mail message in a non ASCII font.
showpartial	Fetch and display the body of a mail message.
showpicture	View an image received in the mail.
size	List section and total sizes of an object file.
sleep	Delay for a specified amount of time.
sort	Sort lines of text files.
split	Split a file into pieces.
splitmail	Split a large mail message.
strings	Find printable strings in a binary file.
strip	Remove symbols from object files.
stty	Change and print terminal line settings.

tabs	Set tab stops on a terminal.
tail	Output the last part of files.
taintperl	A version of perl used with setuid scripts.
talk	Talk to another user.
tar	Create tape archives and add or extract files.
tbl	Format tables for nroff or troff.
tee	Send output to two places.
telnet	Remote login program.
test	Check file types and compare values.
time	Time a command.
tin	A threaded Netnews reader.
touch	Change file timestamps or create a 0 byte file.
tput	Initialize a terminal/query the terminfo database.
tr	Translate or delete characters.
true	Do nothing and return true.
tty	Print the path of the terminal.

uname	Print system information.
unexpand	Convert spaces to tabs.
uniq	Remove duplicate lines from a sorted file.
uuencode, uudecode	Encode and decode a binary file.
vgrind	Makes nice program listings.
vi, view, vedit	Visual display editor.

wc	Print the number of bytes, words, and lines in files.
whereis	Locate the files for a command.
which	Locate a command; display its pathname or alias.

xargs	Construct arguments list(s) and execute a command.
yacc	Parsing program generator.
yes	Output a string repeatedly until killed.