Windows and Unix command line equivalents

This lists similar commands between Windows and Unix command lines.

To get help on a Windows command, use the /? option, for example date /?.

Windows command	Unix command	Notes
`arp`	`arp`
`assign`	`ln`	Create a file link
`assign`	`ln -s`	On Unix, a directory may not have multiple links, so instead a symbolic link must be created with `ln -s`.
`assoc`	`file`
`at`	`at batch cron`	See also schtasks.
`attrib`	`chown chmod`	Sets ownership on files and directories
`cd`	`cd`	On Windows, `cd` alone prints the current directory, but on Unix `cd` alone returns the user to his home directory.
`cd`	`pwd`	On Windows, cd alone prints the current directory.
`chkdsk`	`fsck`	Checks filesystem and repairs filesystem corruption on hard drives.
`cls`	`clear Control-L`	Clear the terminal screen
`copy`	`cp`
`date time`	`date`	`Date` on Unix prints the current date and time. `Date` and `time` on Windows print the date and time respectively, and prompt for a new date or time.
`del`	`rm`
`deltree`	`rm -r`	Recursively deletes entire directory tree
`dir`	`ls`	"dir" also works on some versions of Unix.
`doskey /h F7 key`	`history`	The Unix `history` is part of the Bash shell.
`edit`	`vi emacs etc.`	`edit` brings up a simple text editor in Windows. On Unix, the environment variable `EDITOR` should be set to the user's preferred editor.
`exit`	`exit Control-D`	On Unix, pressing the control key and D simultaneously logs the user out of the shell.
`explorer`	`nautilus etc.`	The command `explorer` brings up the file browser on Windows.
`fc`	`diff`
`find`	`grep`
`ftp`	`ftp`
`help`	`man`	"help" by itself prints all the commands
`hostname`	`hostname`
`ipconfig /all`	`ifconfig -a`	The /all option lets you get the MAC address of the Windows PC
`mem`	`top`	Shows system status
`mkdir`	`mkdir`
`more`	`more less`
`move`	`mv`
`net session`	`w who`
`net statistics`	`uptime`
`nslookup`	`nslookup`
`ping`	`ping`
`print`	`lpr`	Send a file to a printer.
`reboot shutdown -r`	`shutdown -r`
`regedit`	`edit /etc/*`	The Unix equivalent of the Windows registry are the files under `/etc` and `/usr/local/etc`. These are edited with a text editor rather than with a special-purpose editing program.
`rmdir`	`rmdir`
`rmdir /s`	`rm -r`	Windows has a y/n prompt. To get the prompt with Unix, use `rm -i`. The `i` means "interactive".
`schtasks`	`at batch cron`
`set`	`env`	`Set` on Windows prints a list of all environment variables. For individual environment variables, set <variable> is the same as echo $<variable> on Unix.
`set Path`	`echo $PATH`	Print the value of the environment variable using `set` in Windows.
`shutdown`	`shutdown`	Without an option, the Windows version produces a help message
`shutdown -s`	`shutdown -h`	Also need -f option to Windows if logged in remotely
`sort`	`sort`
`start`	`&`	On Unix, to start a job in the background, use `command &`. On Windows, the equivalent is `start command`. See How to run a Windows command as a background job like Unix ?.
`systeminfo`	`uname -a`
`tasklist`	`ps`	"tasklist" is not available on some versions of Windows. See also this article on getting a list of processes in Windows using Perl
`title`	`?`	In Unix, changing the title of the terminal window is possible but complicated. Search for "change title xterm".
`tracert`	`traceroute`
`tree`	`find ls -R`	On Windows, use tree \| find "string"
`type`	`cat`
`ver`	`uname -a`
`xcopy`	`cp -R`	Recursively copy a directory tree

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Links open in a separate window. The links on the Unix commands go to an online version of the FreeBSD manual page.

Windows and Unix command line equivalents

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