การจัดการไฟล์และไดเรกทอรี: `mkdir`, `rm`, `cp`, `mv`

Managing files is a core shell skill. This lesson covers the four essentials: mkdir, cp, mv, and rm — create, copy, move, delete.

mkdir (make directory) creates a new folder — just give it a name. Try making one called my_documents.

Create several folders at once by listing names. Add -p to build nested directories, creating any missing parents along the way.

cp (copy) duplicates a file: give it a source and a destination. Here we use touch to make a file first, then copy it.

To copy a whole folder, add -r (recursive) so cp grabs the directory and everything inside. Without it, folders are skipped.

mv (move) relocates files or folders — like cut and paste. Point it at a source and a destination directory.

Bonus: mv also renames. Move a file to the same place with a new name, and you’ve renamed it.

rm (remove) deletes files — permanently, with no trash to recover from. Always double-check what you’re removing.

To delete a non-empty folder, add -r so rm clears the directory and its contents. Extreme caution — this is irreversible.

Imagine you have a file named draft.txt in your current directory. You want to create a new folder called final_docs and then move draft.txt into it, renaming it to final_report.txt in the process. Which sequence of commands would achieve this?

Great work! You’ve got file management down: mkdir to create, cp to copy, mv to move or rename, and rm to delete (with -r for folders).