As all, we know that the Kali Linux is a Debian-based Linux distribution that is used for advanced Penetration Testing and Security Auditing, means a perfect platform for hackers, sounds good right!! So it can be a great start for you to becoming a hacker or internet security expert.
We assume that you definitely have installed Kali Linux on your system and if not then go through Kali Linux installation first.
As this post is for beginners let me explain few things about Kali. it comes with More than 600 penetration testing tool for learning penetration testing and the best part is that its all free and you don’t have to pay a single penny for access kali. Kali Linux is a CUI(Command Line Interface) based OS, so you must know some Kali Linux commands that will help you to execute or perform any action related to penetration testing because you can’t go for further steps in penetration testing before reading this because that will be a bad move.
We have prepared a full list of kali Linux commands for beginners from A to Z that will help you to understand all the commands and you can test all commands to elaborate and understand the perfect mean and execute them on your kali Linux OS. Or you can download Kali Linux commands pdf for later read right after the below list.
Kali Linux Commands :
| kali Linux Commands From a | Description |
|---|---|
| apt-get | Search for and install software packages (Debian) |
| aptitude | Search for and install software packages (Debian) |
| aspell | Spell Checker |
| awk | Find and Replace text, database sort/validate/index |
| Commands From - b | Description |
|---|---|
| basename | Strip directory and suffix from filenames |
| bash | GNU Bourne-Again Shell |
| bc | Arbitrary precision calculator language |
| bg | Send to background |
| break | Exit from a loop |
| builtin | Run a shell builtin |
| bzip2 | Compress or decompress named files |
| Commands From - c | Description |
|---|---|
| cal | Display a calendar |
| case | Conditionally perform a command |
| cat | Concatenate and print (display) the content of files |
| cd | Change Directory |
| cfdisk | Partition table manipulator for Linux |
| chgrp | Change group ownership |
| chmod | Change access permissions |
| chown | Change file owner and group |
| chroot | Run a command with a different root directory |
| chkconfig | System services (runlevel) |
| cksum | Print CRC checksum and byte counts |
| clear | Clear terminal screen |
| cmp | Compare two files |
| comm | Compare two sorted files line by line |
| command | Run a command – ignoring shell functions |
| continue | Resume the next iteration of a loop |
| cp | Copy one or more files to another location |
| cron | Daemon to execute scheduled commands |
| crontab | Schedule a command to run at a later time |
| csplit | Split a file into context-determined pieces |
| cut | Divide a file into several parts |
| Commands From - d | Description |
|---|---|
| date | Display or change the date and time |
| dc | Desk Calculator |
| dd | Convert and copy a file, write disk headers, boot records |
| ddrescue | Data recovery tool |
| declare | Declare variables and give them attributes |
| df | Display free disk space |
| diff | Display the differences between two files |
| diff3 | Show differences among three files |
| dig | DNS lookup |
| dir | Briefly list directory contents |
| dircolors | Colour setup for ls’ |
| dirname | Convert a full pathname to just a path |
| dirs | Display list of remembered directories |
| dmesg | Print kernel & driver messages |
| du | Estimate file space usage |
| Commands From - e | Description |
|---|---|
| echo | Display message on screen |
| egrep | Search files for lines that match an extended expression |
| eject | Eject removable media |
| enable | Enable and disable builtin shell commands |
| env | Environment variables |
| ethtool | Ethernet card settings |
| eval | Evaluate several commands/arguments |
| exec | Execute a command |
| exit | Exit the shell |
| expect | Automate arbitrary applications accessed over a terminal |
| expand | Convert tabs to spaces |
| export | Set an environment variable |
| expr | Evaluate expressions |
| Commands From - f | Description |
|---|---|
| false | Do nothing, unsuccessfully |
| fdformat | Low-level format a floppy disk |
| fdisk | Partition table manipulator for Linux |
| fg | Send job to foreground |
| fgrep | Search files for lines that match a fixed string |
| file | Determine file type |
| find | Search for files that meet a desired criteria |
| fmt | Reformat paragraph text |
| fold | Wrap text to fit a specified width |
| for | Expand words, and execute commands |
| format | Format disks or tapes |
| free | Display memory usage |
| fsck | File system consistency check and repair |
| ftp | File Transfer Protocol |
| function | Define Function Macros |
| fuser | Identify/kill the process that is accessing a file |
| Commands From - g | Description |
|---|---|
| gawk | Find and Replace text within files |
| getopts | Parse positional parameters |
| grep | Search files for lines that match a given pattern |
| groupadd | Add a user security group |
| groupdel | Delete a group |
| groupmod | Modify a group |
| groups | Print group names a user is in |
| gzip | Compress or decompress named files |
| Commands From - h | Description |
|---|---|
| hash | Remember the full pathname of a name argument |
| head | Output the first part of files |
| help | Display help for a built-in command |
| history | Command History |
| hostname | Print or set system name |
| Commands From - i | Description |
|---|---|
| iconv | Convert the character set of a file |
| id | Print user and group id’s |
| if | Conditionally perform a command |
| ifconfig | Configure a network interface |
| ifdown | Stop a network interface |
| ifup | Start a network interface up |
| import | Capture an X server screen and save the image to file |
| install | Copy files and set attributes |
| Commands From - j | Description |
|---|---|
| jobs | List active jobs |
| join | Join lines on a common field |
| Command From - k | Description |
|---|---|
| kill | Stop a process from running |
| killall | Kill processes by name |
| Commands From - l | Description |
|---|---|
| less | Display output one screen at a time |
| let | Perform arithmetic on shell variables |
| ln | Create a symbolic link to a file |
| local | Create variables |
| locate | Find files |
| logname | Print current login name |
| logout | Exit a login shell |
| look | Display lines beginning with a given string |
| lpc | Line printer control program |
| lpr | Off line print |
| lprint | Print a file |
| lprintd | Abort a print job |
| lprintq | List the print queue |
| lprm | Remove jobs from the print queue |
| ls | List information about files |
| lsof | List open files |
| Commands From - m | Description |
|---|---|
| make | Recompile a group of programs |
| man | Show manual |
| mkdir | Create new folders |
| mkfifo | Make FIFOs (named pipes) |
| mkisofs | Create an hybrid ISO9660/JOLIET/HFS filesystem |
| mknod | Make block or character special files |
| more | Display output one screen at a time |
| mount | Mount a file system |
| mtools | Manipulate MS-DOS files |
| mtr | Network diagnostics (traceroute/ping) |
| mv | Move or rename files or directories |
| mmv | Mass Move and rename files |
| Commands From - n | Description |
|---|---|
| netstat | Networking information |
| nice | Set the priority of a command or job |
| nl | Number lines and write files |
| nohup | Run a command immune to hangups |
| notify-send | Send desktop notifications |
| nslookup | Query Internet name servers interactively |
| Commands From - o | Description |
|---|---|
| open | Open a file in its default application |
| op | Operator access |
| Commands From - p | Description |
|---|---|
| passwd | Modify a user password |
| paste | Merge lines of files |
| pathchk | Check file name portability |
| ping | Test a network connection |
| pkill | Stop processes from running |
| popd | Restore the previous value of the current directory |
| pr | Prepare files for printing |
| printcap | Printer capability database |
| printenv | Print environment variables |
| printf | print and format data |
| ps | Process status |
| pushd | Save and then change the current directory |
| pwd | Print Working Directory |
| Commands From - q | Description |
|---|---|
| quota | Display disk usage and limits |
| quotacheck | Scan a file system for disk usage |
| quotactl | Set disk quotas |
| Commands From - r | Description |
|---|---|
| ram | ram disk device |
| rcp | Copy files between two machines |
| read | Read a line from standard input |
| readarray | Read from stdin into an array variable |
| readonly | Mark variables/functions as readonly |
| reboot | Reboot the system |
| rename | Rename files |
| renice | Alter priority of running processes |
| remsync | Synchronize remote files via email |
| return | Exit a shell function |
| rev | Reverse lines of a file |
| rm | Remove files |
| rmdir | Remove folders |
| rsync | Remote file copy (Synchronize file trees) |
| Commands From - s | Description |
|---|---|
| screen | Multiplex terminal, run remote shells via ssh |
| scp | Secure copy (remote file copy) |
| sdiff | Merge two files interactively |
| sed | Stream Editor |
| select | Accept keyboard input |
| seq | Print numeric sequences |
| set | Manipulate shell variables and functions |
| sftp | Secure File Transfer Program |
| shift | Shift positional parameters |
| shopt | Shell Options |
| shutdown | Shutdown or restart linux |
| sleep | Delay for a specified time |
| slocate | Find files |
| sort | Sort text files |
| source | Run commands from a file |
| split | Split a file into fixed-size pieces |
| ssh | Secure Shell client (remote login program) |
| strace | Trace system calls and signals |
| su | Substitute user identity |
| sudo | Execute a command as another user |
| sum | Print a checksum for a file |
| suspend | Suspend execution of this shell |
| symlink | Make a new name for a file |
| sync | Synchronize data on disk with memory |
| Commands From - t | Description |
|---|---|
| tail | Output the last part of file |
| tar | Tape Archiver |
| tee | Redirect output to multiple files |
| test | Evaluate a conditional expression |
| time | Measure Program running time |
| times | User and system times |
| touch | Change file timestamps |
| top | List processes running on the system |
| traceroute | Trace Route to Host |
| trap | Run a command when a signal is set(bourne) |
| tr | Translate, squeeze, and/or delete characters |
| true | Do nothing, successfully |
| tsort | Topological sort |
| tty | Print filename of terminal on stdin |
| type | Describe a command |
| Commands From - u | Description |
|---|---|
| ulimit | Limit user resources |
| umask | Users file creation mask |
| umount | Unmount a device |
| unalias | Remove an alias |
| uname | Print system information |
| unexpand | Convert spaces to tabs |
| uniq | Uniquify files |
| units | Convert units from one scale to another |
| unset | Remove variable or function names |
| unshar | Unpack shell archive scripts |
| until | Execute commands (until error) |
| uptime | Show uptime |
| useradd | Create new user account |
| usermod | Modify user account |
| users | List users currently logged in |
| uuencode | Encode a binary file |
| uudecode | Decode a file created by uuencode |
| Commands From - v | Description |
|---|---|
| v | Verbosely list directory contents (ls -l -b’) |
| vdir | Verbosely list directory contents (ls -l -b’) |
| vi | Text Editor/ vi editor |
| vmstat | Report virtual memory statistics |
| Commands From - w | Description |
|---|---|
| wait | Wait for a process to complete |
| watch | Execute/display a program periodically |
| wc | Print byte, word, and line counts |
| whereis | Search the user’s $path, man pages and source files for a program |
| which | Search the user’s $path for a program file |
| while | Execute commands |
| who | Print all usernames currently logged in |
| whoami | Print the current user id and name (id -un’) |
| wget | Retrieve web pages or files via HTTP, HTTPS or FTP |
| write | Send a message to another user |
| Commands From - x | Description |
|---|---|
| xargs | Execute utility, passing constructed argument lists |
| xdg-open | Open a file or URL in the user’s preferred application |
| Commands From - y | Description |
|---|---|
| yes | Print a string until interrupted |
After reading the above kali linux commands you can test them or you can test these commands while reading them. These are the all basic kali linux commands that you can use for your purpose in kali.
Or
If you want to check the Kali Linux command list later then you can download the pdf.
Download Here: Kali Linux Commands pdf
Bonus Tip : In the table of Alphabet -m, there is a command called man that stands for manual. All the Kali users use this command to see a manual of a particular command that is very useful every time you want to see the manual of any command.
for example: To see the manual of ls command in Kali: # man ls
we will recommend you to use this command for every single command in Linux so you can learn more about that command.