A Critical Guide to Unix

Abstract

This Critical Guide in the Introduction to Bioinformatics series briefly introduces the Unix Operating System, and provides a subset of some of the most helpful and commonly used commands, including those that allow various types of search, navigation and file manipulation. Several keystroke short-cuts are also explained, which help to make the routine use of Unix commands more efficient.

Specifically, this Guide showcases some of the simplest, most frequently used commands to help new users to understand and gain confidence in using the Unix Operating System. On reading the Guide, users will be able to exploit a range of commands to:

• manipulate files, directories and processes;
• navigate directory structures and explore their contents;
• search for files, and search and compare file contents;
• direct command outputs into files or into other commands; and
• explain what many simple commands mean and how they’re used.