{"id":321,"date":"2011-12-05T19:44:27","date_gmt":"2011-12-05T19:44:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.inmotionhosting.com\/support\/2011\/12\/05\/navigate-command-line\/"},"modified":"2025-01-30T10:15:51","modified_gmt":"2025-01-30T15:15:51","slug":"navigate-command-line","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.inmotionhosting.com\/support\/server\/ssh\/navigate-command-line\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Change Directories using SSH Commands"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In our previous article, we showed you how to login to your server via SSH<\/a>. If you’re following along our tutorial, the next item to learn is how to navigate around the file system and change the directory you are working in. This is the same whether you are connecting from a VPS<\/a>, Dedicated server<\/a> or Shared web hosting service<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using SSH with your files<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The following article will help you with navigating through your folders and files using SSH. The secure shell interface (SSH) uses a command line interface that allows you type commands to manipulate and view your server files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are using the following account:
domain:<\/strong> example.com<\/em>
cPanel username:<\/strong> user5<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What directory am I working in?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When you first log in via SSH, you will be placed in your home folder. For our user, it is \/home\/user5<\/strong>. Further on in this page, you’ll change directories. If you ever need to determine which directory you are currently in, use the pwd<\/strong> command. The pwd command<\/a> will print the working directory:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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user5@example.com [<\/span>~<\/span>]# pwd<\/span><\/span>\n\/<\/span>home<\/span>\/<\/span>user5<\/span><\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n
What is in this directory?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Now that you know which directory you are in, you may want to know what files and folders and in this directory. You can use the ls<\/strong> command<\/a> to list the directory contents:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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user5@example.com [<\/span>~<\/span>]# ls<\/span><\/span>\n.<\/span>\/<\/span> <\/span>..<\/span>\/<\/span> .bash_logout .bash_profile .bashrc .contactemail .dns .gemrc .htpasswds<\/span>\/<\/span> etc<\/span>\/<\/span> mail<\/span>\/<\/span> perl5<\/span>\/<\/span> public_ftp<\/span>\/<\/span> public_html<\/span>\/<\/span> tmp<\/span>\/<\/span> www@<\/span><\/span><\/code><\/pre><\/div>\n\n\n\n
The results above are simply a listing of files and folders in your current account. Many times you’ll need more information than this. For example, you may need to see file sizes or permissions. You can add the -alh<\/strong> flags<\/code> to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n