Using cd command to change directory to another directory.

   On Windows system we use to call folder, but on Linux system the folder is not a folder... they are call directory.  The Linux system is base on directory hierarchy that start from root directory... so if you are from Windows worlds... there are no more folder :-) its only directory.  To browse from one directory to another directory using Linux command line, Linux use cd command.  The example below show how to use cd command to go from one directory to another directory on Linux system.

  Before we start cd ing into Linux directory, you must understand the overview on how directory structured on Linux system.  The simple way to show the list of directory hierarchy on Linux system is by using tree command...  so... our cd command example below start with tree command

1.  The command below show the directory tree on Fedora system.  On this example we use tree command to show the directory hierarchy start from root directory.  The ls commad also can show you the list of directory contents including list all directory.

[root@fedora ~]# tree -L 1 /

/

|-- bin

|-- boot

|-- dev

|-- etc

|-- home

|-- lib

|-- lost+found

|-- media

|-- mnt

|-- opt

|-- proc

|-- root

|-- sbin

|-- selinux

|-- srv

|-- sys

|-- tmp

|-- usr

`-- var

19 directories, 0 files

[root@fedora ~]#

2.  To change directory or to go to /etc directory, use cd command and then path to the directory, in this case /etc directory.  The example below show how to use cd command to go to etc directory.

[root@fedora ~]# cd /etc

[root@fedora etc]#

3.  To verify that we are now in the etc directory (the directory that you want to go to), use pwd command as show on command example below.

[root@fedora etc]# pwd

/etc

[root@fedora etc]#

4.  From there... you can use the cd command to go to other directory... just give the cd with path to directory that you want to go to.  The cd command also can be use to go back to your home directory... just execute cd command without specifying any option.

[root@fedora etc]# cd

[root@fedora ~]#

5.  Verify your directory location on Linux system by using pwd command again..

[root@fedora ~]# pwd

/root

[root@fedora ~]#

Cd command type and command location:

cd command location

[root@fedora ~]# type cd

cd is a shell builtin

[root@fedora ~]#

cd command type

[root@fedora ~]# type -t cd

builtin

[root@fedora ~]#

Cd command help manual:

cd command help and manual

[root@fedora ~]# help cd

cd: cd [-L|-P] [dir]

    Change the current directory to DIR.  The variable $HOME is the

    default DIR.  The variable CDPATH defines the search path for

    the directory containing DIR.  Alternative directory names in CDPATH

    are separated by a colon (:).  A null directory name is the same as

    the current directory, i.e. `.'.  If DIR begins with a slash (/),

    then CDPATH is not used.  If the directory is not found, and the

    shell option `cdable_vars' is set, then try the word as a variable

    name.  If that variable has a value, then cd to the value of that

    variable.  The -P option says to use the physical directory structure

    instead of following symbolic links; the -L option forces symbolic links

    to be followed.

[root@fedora ~]#

Keywords: cd command, using cd command, change directory