Shell Commands

Shell commands are the fundamental way to interact with Linux-based systems that Docker containers typically run on. Understanding commands like ls, cd, cp, mv, rm, chmod, chown, ps, top, grep, find, and cat is essential for working inside containers, writing Dockerfiles, and debugging running containers. When you use docker exec to access a running container or write RUN instructions in a Dockerfile, you rely on these shell commands to install dependencies, configure environments, and manage files within the container's filesystem.