When you first purchase a Linux VPS from RivinCloud, the command line can feel intimidating. However, mastering a few essential commands will quickly make you comfortable navigating and managing your server.
Navigation and File Management
Navigating your VPS is the first step to managing it effectively.
1. The cd Command
Used to change directories.
cd /var/www/html
If you want to go back to the previous directory, use cd -, or cd .. to go up one level.
2. The pwd Command
Prints the current working directory, helping you understand where you are in the filesystem.
pwd
[!TIP] Always use
pwdbefore running commands that delete files, just to be sure you are in the correct location!
System Information and Resource Usage
Monitoring your server is essential to ensure it stays online and responsive.
3. The top Command
Displays real-time system resource usage, including CPU and RAM usage per process.
4. The free Command
Checks your RAM usage.
free -h
5. The df Command
Checks disk space usage.
df -h
[!WARNING] If your disk space reaches 100%, services like MySQL or Nginx will crash. Always monitor your disk usage!
Network Commands
Checking network connectivity is crucial when hosting a web server, game server, or bot.
6. The ping Command
Tests connectivity to another server.
ping google.com
7. The netstat Command
Shows active network connections and listening ports. This is very helpful when debugging why a game server or web server isn't accessible.
netstat -tulpn
Service Management
If you're hosting an application, you'll need to know how to start and stop its service.
8. systemctl status
Check if a service is running.
systemctl status nginx
9. systemctl restart
Restart a service to apply configuration changes.
systemctl restart nginx
This list just scratches the surface. By practicing these commands on your RivinCloud VPS, you'll be a Linux master in no time!