Terminal basics

The terminal lets you control your computer through text commands. Most development tools — including Git, Node.js, and npm — are used through the terminal.

Navigating the Filesystem

These commands let you move around and explore your files.

pwd           # print working directory (where you are)
ls            # list files in current folder
ls -la        # list all files including hidden ones
cd projects   # change into the projects folder
cd ..         # go up one level
cd ~          # go to your home directory

Tab Completion

Press Tab to auto-complete file and folder names. Press it twice to see all matching options. This saves time and avoids typos.

Creating and Managing Files

mkdir my-project        # create a new folder
touch index.html        # create a new empty file
cp file.txt backup.txt  # copy a file
mv old-name.txt new-name.txt  # rename or move a file
rm file.txt             # delete a file
rm -rf folder/          # delete a folder and its contents

Running Programs

Most tools you install are run as terminal commands.

node index.js           # run a JavaScript file with Node
npm install             # install project dependencies
npm run dev             # run the dev script from package.json
npx create-next-app     # run a package without installing it globally

Starting a Next.js project from scratch

npx create-next-app@latest my-app
cd my-app
npm run dev

This creates a new Next.js project in the my-app folder, installs all dependencies, and starts the dev server at http://localhost:3000.

Command History and Shortcuts