How to Manage Files and Folders in Linux (Commands and GUI Tools Explained)

One of the first things new Linux users need to learn is how to manage files and folders — the basic building blocks of your system. Whether you’re organizing documents or editing configuration files, mastering file management is essential.

In this guide, we’ll cover both command-line (Terminal) and graphical (GUI) methods, so you can choose what works best for you.

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🧭 Understanding the Linux Filesystem Structure

Before diving into commands, here’s a quick overview of where things live in Linux:

Directory	Purpose
/home	User files and folders
/etc	System configuration files
/var	Log files and variable data
/usr	Installed applications and files
/tmp	Temporary files

Your personal files live in /home/your-username/ — this is your Home directory.

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📁 Managing Files and Folders Using GUI (File Manager)

All Linux desktop environments come with a file manager. Here are some common ones:

Desktop Environment	File Manager
GNOME (Ubuntu)	Files (Nautilus)
KDE Plasma	Dolphin
XFCE	Thunar
Cinnamon (Linux Mint)	Nemo

✅ Basic Actions You Can Perform:

• Open folders
• Create new files/folders (Right-click > New Document/Folder)
• Rename (Right-click > Rename)
• Copy/Paste (Right-click or Ctrl + C / Ctrl + V)
• Move to Trash or Delete Permanently
• Drag and drop between folders

📝 Tip: Enable “Show Hidden Files” by pressing Ctrl + H. Hidden files start with a . (dot), like .bashrc.

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💻 Managing Files and Folders Using Terminal

Once you’re comfortable, using the terminal gives you faster and more powerful control over your files.

🔍 Navigation Commands

Command	Description
pwd	Show current directory
ls	List files and folders
cd folder	Change directory
cd ..	Go up one level
cd ~	Go to your home directory

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📂 Creating Files and Folders

Command	Description
touch file.txt	Create a new empty file
mkdir foldername	Create a new folder
mkdir -p folder/subfolder	Create nested folders

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📝 Viewing Files

Command	Description
cat file.txt	Display content of the file
less file.txt	Scroll through a file (press q to quit)
head file.txt	Show first 10 lines
tail file.txt	Show last 10 lines

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✏️ Renaming and Moving Files

Command	Description
mv oldname.txt newname.txt	Rename a file
mv file.txt /path/to/folder/	Move a file to another folder
mv file.txt ~/Documents/	Move to Documents folder

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📋 Copying Files and Folders

Command	Description
cp file.txt copy.txt	Copy a file
cp file.txt /other/folder/	Copy to another folder
cp -r folder1/ folder2/	Copy folder and contents

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🗑️ Deleting Files and Folders

Command	Description
rm file.txt	Delete a file
rm -i file.txt	Delete with confirmation prompt
rm -r foldername	Delete folder and contents recursively
rm -rf foldername	Force delete folder (⚠️ Use with care!)

🛑 Warning: Files deleted using rm do not go to Trash — they are permanently removed.

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🔍 Bonus: File Permissions and Ownership

To check file permissions:

ls -l

Example output:

-rw-r--r-- 1 user user 1024 Oct 3  file.txt

Explanation:

Symbol	Meaning
-	Regular file (d for folder)
rw-	Owner can read/write
r--	Group can read
r--	Others can read

Change permissions:

chmod 755 script.sh

Change ownership:

sudo chown username:groupname file.txt

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🧪 Practice Exercise for Beginners

Try this in your terminal:

cd ~
mkdir practice-folder
cd practice-folder
touch file1.txt
cp file1.txt file2.txt
mv file2.txt renamed.txt
rm file1.txt

This creates a folder, makes a file, copies it, renames it, and deletes the original.

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📌 Quick Reference Table: File Commands

Action	Command Example
Create file	touch file.txt
Create folder	mkdir new_folder
Rename file	mv old.txt new.txt
Move file	mv file.txt ~/Documents/
Copy file	cp file.txt copy.txt
Delete file	rm file.txt
View file content	cat file.txt
Show hidden files	ls -a

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✅ Conclusion

Managing files and folders in Linux is simple once you understand the basics. The terminal offers powerful tools, while the GUI is intuitive and beginner-friendly. Over time, combining both approaches will make you a more confident Linux user.