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August 7, 2024

Unix user commands reference guide

Use this reference guide from the first four editions of the original Unix.

By Jim Hall

User commands (section 1 commands) from the first four editions of original Unix:

Note that some of these commands that seem to “disappear” didn’t actually go away. For example, the shell supported labels since Unix 2nd Edition, but : wasn’t listed separately in the manual after that. And commands like check and df moved to the “system maintenance” section of the manual, since they weren’t meant as “general user” commands at the time.

1st Ed(Nov ’71)	2nd Ed(Jun ’72)	3rd Ed(Feb ’73)	4th Ed(Nov ’73)	What it does
	:			label for goto
	acct			connection time accounting
ar				archive files
as				assembler
b				B compiler
bas				BASIC programming
bcd				convert ASCII to BCD
boot				reboot system
cat				concatenate files
			catsim	simulate phototypesetter
	cc			C compiler
		cdb		C debugger
chdir				change directory
check				check filesystem
chmod				change file mode
chown				change file owner
cmp				compare files
			comm	find common lines
cp				copy files
		cref		cross reference table
		crypt		encrypt or decrypt a file
date				get date and time
db				debugger
dbppt				dump to binary paper tape
dc				desk calculator
df				disk free
	dpd			data phone daemon
	ds			verify directory structure
dsw				delete files interactively
dtf				DEC tape formatter
du				disk usage
	echo			print text
ed				editor
	exit			exit the shell
	fed			form letter editor
			file	determine file type
find				find files
for	fc			FORTRAN compiler
form				form letter generator
		forml		form letter generator
	goto			jump to label
			grep	search file for pattern
hup				hang up terminal
		hyphen		find hyphenated words
	if			conditional test
	istat			file status by i-number
			kill	stop unwanted process
lbppt				load from binary paper tape
ld				linker
ln				link files
	login			login to system
ls				list files
	m6			macro processor
mail				read email
	man			read manual
			merge	merge several files
mesg				allow or deny messages
mkdir				make directory
mkfs				make filesystem
mount				attach (mount) a filesystem
	mt			read and write mag tape
mv				move files
			nice	run command at lower priority
nm				print name list
			nohup	run command immune to hangups
	nroff			new roff
od				octal dump
	opr			offline print
	ov			overlay pages
		passwd		set login password
			pfe	print floating exception
			plot	make a chart
pr				print file with headings
		proof		compare text files
			ps	process status
		reloc		relocate object files
rew				rewind TEC tape
rkd				dump RK disk to tape
rkf				format RK disk
rkl				load RK disk from tape
rm				remove files
rmdir				remove directory
roff				format documents
	salv			repair filesystem
sdate				set date and time
sh				command shell
			shift	adjust shell arguments
		size		get executable program size
			sleep	suspend execution for an interval
		sno		SNOBOL compiler
	sort			sort files
		speak		text to speech
		split		break up a file
stat				get file status
strip				remove symbols from file
	stty			set terminal options
su				become super user
sum				checksum
	tacct			connection time accounting
tap			tp	manipulate DEC tape
tm		time		get time information
		tmg		TMGL compiler
			tr	transliterate
			troff	typesetter roff
	tss			connect to MH-TSS
tty				name of terminal
type				print file like a typewriter
		typo		find spelling errors
umount				detach (unmount) a filesystem
un				find undefined symbols
		uniq		find duplicate lines
		vs		generate voice synthesizer phonemes
			wait	wait for process completion
wc				word count
who				show who is on the system
write				write message to a user

About the Author

Jim Hall is an open source software advocate and developer, best known for usability testing in GNOME and as the founder + project coordinator of FreeDOS. At work, Jim is CEO of Hallmentum, an IT executive consulting company that provides hands-on IT Leadership training, workshops, and coaching.

Read Jim's Full Bio

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