File operations: terminal
This course covers everyday file work in a Unix terminal. It starts with finding files using find, fd and the fuzzy finder fzf. It then inspects them with ls -lah, eza, file and stat. Next come copying, moving and deleting files safely with cp, mv, rm -i and trash-cli. The course explains read, write and execute permissions, chmod and sudo. It also covers viewing content with cat, head, tail, less and bat. Text search uses grep, ripgrep and pipes, and the last lesson applies these tools to a Ruby on Rails project.
What you'll learn
- ✓Finding files with find, fd and fzf
- ✓Inspecting files and metadata with ls -lah, eza, file and stat
- ✓Copying, moving and deleting files safely with cp, mv, rm -i and trash-cli
- ✓Setting permissions with chmod, octal notation and sudo
- ✓Reading and searching content with cat, tail -f, less, bat, grep, rg and pipes
- ✓Using terminal tools on the folders of a Rails project
Finding files like a pro
Imagine you are in a massive library with millions of books. To find one, you could walk through every aisle (traditional find), or you could ask a modern digital assistant that knows where every book is and even ignores the "Staff Only" sections (modern fd).
Read the full lesson free →Curriculum
7 lessonsFinding files like a pro
Compares find, fd and fzf for locating files, including how fd skips hidden folders and .gitignore entries.
Deep inspection
Inspects files with ls -lah and eza, identifies their real type with file, and reads metadata with stat.
Smart manipulation & safety
Copies, moves and renames files with cp and mv, and deletes safely with rm -i and trash-cli.
The gatekeeper (permissions)
Explains read, write and execute permissions for user, group and others, using chmod, octal notation and sudo.
Reading between the lines
Views file content with cat, head, tail -f, less and bat, including watching Rails logs live.
The swiss army knife (grep)
Searches text inside files with grep and ripgrep, and combines commands by sending output through pipes.
The Rails file ecosystem
Maps key Rails folders like log, public, storage and db/seeds, and applies terminal tools to each.