Windows command | Unix command | Notes |
---|---|---|
set | env | Set on Windows prints a list of all environment variables. For individual environment variables, set is the same as echo $ on Unix. |
set Path | export $PATH | Print the value of the environment variable using set in Windows. |
set PROJ | -- | result: PROJ=c:\project |
echo %PROJ% | echo $PROJ | result: c:\project |
set Path=%Path%;c:\project | export PATH="/path/to/dir:$PATH" | |
arp | arp | |
assign | ln | Create a file link |
assign | ln -s | On Unix, a directory may not have multiple links, so instead a symbolic link must be created with ln -s. |
assoc | file | |
at | at, batch, cron | |
attrib | chown, chmod | Sets ownership on files and directories |
cd | cd | On Windows, cd alone prints the current directory, but on Unix cd alone returns the user to his home directory. |
cd | pwd | On Windows, cd alone prints the current directory. |
chkdsk | fsck | Checks filesystem and repairs filesystem corruption on hard drives. |
cls | clear | Clear the terminal screen |
copy | cp | |
datetime | date | Date on Unix prints the current date and time. Date and time on Windows print the date and time respectively, and prompt for a new date or time. |
del | rm | |
deltree | rm -r | Recursively deletes entire directory tree |
dir | ls | "dir" also works on some versions of Unix. |
doskey /hF7 key | history | The Unix history is part of the Bash shell. |
edit | Vi, emacs, etc. | edit brings up a simple text editor in Windows. On Unix, the environment variableEDITOR should be set to the user's preferred editor. |
exit | exit, Control-D | On Unix, pressing the control key and D simultaneously logs the user out of the shell. |
explorer | Nautilus, etc. | The command explorer brings up the file browser on Windows. |
fc | diff | |
find | grep | |
ftp | ftp | |
help | man | "help" by itself prints all the commands |
hostname | hostname | |
ipconfig /all | ifconfig -a | The /all option lets you get the MAC address of the Windows PC |
mem | top | Shows system status |
mkdir | mkdir | |
more | more, less | |
move | mv | |
net session | w, who | |
net statistics | uptime | |
nslookup | nslookup | |
ping | ping | |
lpr | Send a file to a printer. | |
Reboot, shutdown -r | shutdown -r | |
regedit | edit /etc/* | The Unix equivalent of the Windows registry are the files under /etc and/usr/local/etc. These are edited with a text editor rather than with a special-purpose editing program. |
rmdir | rmdir | |
rmdir /s | rm -r | Windows has a y/n prompt. To get the prompt with Unix, use rm -i. The i means "interactive". |
shutdown | shutdown | Without an option, the Windows version produces a help message |
shutdown -s | shutdown -h | Also need -f option to Windows if logged in remotely |
sort | sort | |
start | & | On Unix, to start a job in the background, use command &. On Windows, the equivalent isstart command. |
systeminfo | uname -a | |
tasklist | ps | "tasklist" is not available on some versions of Windows. |
title | ? | In Unix, changing the title of the terminal window is possible but complicated. Search for "change title xterm". |
tracert | traceroute | |
tree | find, ls -R | On Windows, use tree |
type | cat | |
ver | uname -a | |
xcopy | cp -R | Recursively copy a directory tree |
Last active
January 5, 2025 16:18
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Windows and Unix command line equivalents
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deltree
is no longer accurate, userd /s /q