All Kali Linux Commands With Their Functions
Mati Aharoni, Devon Kearns and Raphaël Hertzog have developed a new version of linux specifically designed for digital forensic & penetration testing. The development of Kali Linux has been funded by Offensive Security Ltd.
Download This Cheat Sheet To Learn Basic Linux Commands
Kali Linux is a distribution derived from Debian. The distribution comes with 600 penetration-testing programs, including nmap (a port scanner), Wireshark (a packet analyzer), John the Ripper (a password cracker), Aircrack-ng (a software suite for penetration-testing wireless LANs), Burp suite and OWASP ZAP (both web application security scanners) all pre installed. The distribution can be run on a virtual machine or natively if installed on the computer’s hard drive. It can be booted using a CD or a live USB. It is a supported platform of the Metasploit Project’s Metasploit Framework, a tool for developing and executing security exploits.
Kali Linux Commands
Following is a list of all known Kali Linux Commands. We have sequenced it in an alphabetic order for the ease of search.
Kali Linux commands | Function |
A |
|
 apropos |  Search Help manual pages (man -k) |
 apt-get |  Search for and install software packages (Debian) |
 aptitude |  Search for and install software packages (Debian) |
 aspell |  Spell Checker |
 awk |  Find and Replace text, database sort/validate/index |
B | |
 basename |  Strip directory and suffix from filenames |
 bash |  GNU Bourne-Again Shell |
 bc |  Arbitrary precision calculator language |
 bg |  Send to background |
 break |  Exit from a loop |
 builtin |  Run a shell builtin |
 bzip2 |  Compress or decompress named files |
C | |
 cal |  Display a calendar |
 case |  Conditionally perform a command |
 cat |  Concatenate and print (display) the content of files |
 cd |  Change Directory |
 cfdisk |  Partition table manipulator for Linux |
 chgrp |  Change group ownership |
 chmod |  Change access permissions |
 chown |  Change file owner and group |
 chroot |  Run a command with a different root directory |
 chkconfig |  System services (runlevel) |
 cksum |  Print CRC checksum and byte counts |
 clear |  Clear terminal screen |
 cmp |  Compare two files |
 comm |  Compare two sorted files line by line |
 command |  Run a command – ignoring shell functions |
 continue |  Resume the next iteration of a loop |
 cp |  Copy one or more files to another location |
 cron |  Daemon to execute scheduled commands |
 crontab |  Schedule a command to run at a later time |
 csplit |  Split a file into context-determined pieces |
 cut |  Divide a file into several parts |
D | |
 date |  Display or change the date and time |
 dc |  Desk Calculator |
 dd |  Convert and copy a file, write disk headers, boot records |
 ddrescue |  Data recovery tool |
 declare |  Declare variables and give them attributes |
 df |  Display free disk space |
 diff |  Display the differences between two files |
 diff3 |  Show differences among three files |
 dig |  DNS lookup |
 dir |  Briefly list directory contents |
 dircolors |  Colour setup for `ls’ |
 dirname |  Convert a full pathname to just a path |
 dirs |  Display list of remembered directories |
 dmesg |  Print kernel & driver messages |
 du |  Estimate file space usage |
E | |
 echo |  Display message on screen |
 egrep |  Search files for lines that match an extended expression |
 eject |  Eject removable media |
 enable |  Enable and disable builtin shell commands |
 env |  Environment variables |
 ethtool |  Ethernet card settings |
 eval |  Evaluate several commands/arguments |
 exec |  Execute a command |
 exit |  Exit the shell |
 expect |  Automate arbitrary applications accessed over a terminal |
 expand |  Convert tabs to spaces |
 export |  Set an environment variable |
 expr |  Evaluate expressions |
F | |
 false |  Do nothing, unsuccessfully |
 fdformat |  Low-level format a floppy disk |
 fdisk |  Partition table manipulator for Linux |
 fg |  Send job to foreground |
 fgrep |  Search files for lines that match a fixed string |
 file |  Determine file type |
 find |  Search for files that meet a desired criteria |
 fmt |  Reformat paragraph text |
 fold |  Wrap text to fit a specified width |
 for |  Expand words, and execute commands |
 format |  Format disks or tapes |
 free |  Display memory usage |
 fsck |  File system consistency check and repair |
 ftp |  File Transfer Protocol |
 function |  Define Function Macros |
 fuser |  Identify/kill the process that is accessing a file |
G | |
 gawk |  Find and Replace text within files |
 getopts |  Parse positional parameters |
 grep |  Search files for lines that match a given pattern |
 groupadd |  Add a user security group |
 groupdel |  Delete a group |
 groupmod |  Modify a group |
 groups |  Print group names a user is in |
 gzip |  Compress or decompress named files |
H | |
 hash |  Remember the full pathname of a name argument |
 head |  Output the first part of files |
 help |  Display help for a built-in command |
 history |  Command History |
 hostname |  Print or set system name |
I | |
 iconv |  Convert the character set of a file |
 id |  Print user and group id’s |
 if |  Conditionally perform a command |
 ifconfig |  Configure a network interface |
 ifdown |  Stop a network interface |
 ifup |  Start a network interface up |
 import |  Capture an X server screen and save the image to file |
 install |  Copy files and set attributes |
J | |
 jobs |  List active jobs |
 join |  Join lines on a common field |
K | |
 kill |  Stop a process from running |
 killall |  Kill processes by name |
L | |
 less |  Display output one screen at a time |
 let |  Perform arithmetic on shell variables |
 ln |  Create a symbolic link to a file |
 local |  Create variables |
locate | Â Find files |
 logname |  Print current login name |
 logout |  Exit a login shell |
 look |  Display lines beginning with a given string |
 lpc |  Line printer control program |
 lpr |  Off line print |
 lprint |  Print a file |
 lprintd |  Abort a print job |
 lprintq |  List the print queue |
 lprm |  Remove jobs from the print queue |
 ls |  List information about files |
 lsof |  List open files |
M | |
 make |  Recompile a group of programs |
 man |  Help manual |
 mkdir |  Create new folders |
 mkfifo |  Make FIFOs (named pipes) |
 mkisofs |  Create an hybrid ISO9660/JOLIET/HFS filesystem |
 mknod |  Make block or character special files |
 more |  Display output one screen at a time |
 mount |  Mount a file system |
 mtools |  Manipulate MS-DOS files |
 mtr |  Network diagnostics (traceroute/ping) |
 mv |  Move or rename files or directories |
 mmv |  Mass Move and rename files |
N | |
 netstat |  Networking information |
 nice |  Set the priority of a command or job |
 nl |  Number lines and write files |
 nohup |  Run a command immune to hangups |
 notify-send |  Send desktop notifications |
 nslookup |  Query Internet name servers interactively |
O | |
 open |  Open a file in its default application |
 op |  Operator access |
P | |
 passwd |  Modify a user password |
 paste |  Merge lines of files |
 pathchk |  Check file name portability |
 ping |  Test a network connection |
 pkill |  Stop processes from running |
 popd |  Restore the previous value of the current directory |
 pr |  Prepare files for printing |
 printcap |  Printer capability database |
 printenv |  Print environment variables |
 printf |  Format and print data |
 ps |  Process status |
 pushd |  Save and then change the current directory |
 pwd |  Print Working Directory |
Q | |
 quota |  Display disk usage and limits |
 quotacheck |  Scan a file system for disk usage |
 quotactl |  Set disk quotas |
R | |
 ram |  ram disk device |
 rcp |  Copy files between two machines |
 read |  Read a line from standard input |
 readarray |  Read from stdin into an array variable |
 readonly |  Mark variables/functions as readonly |
 reboot |  Reboot the system |
 rename |  Rename files |
 renice |  Alter priority of running processes |
 remsync |  Synchronize remote files via email |
 return |  Exit a shell function |
 rev |  Reverse lines of a file |
 rm |  Remove files |
 rmdir |  Remove folders |
 rsync |  Remote file copy (Synchronize file trees) |
S | |
 screen |  Multiplex terminal, run remote shells via ssh |
 scp |  Secure copy (remote file copy) |
 sdiff |  Merge two files interactively |
 sed |  Stream Editor |
 select |  Accept keyboard input |
 seq |  Print numeric sequences |
 set |  Manipulate shell variables and functions |
 sftp |  Secure File Transfer Program |
 shift |  Shift positional parameters |
 shopt |  Shell Options |
 shutdown |  Shutdown or restart linux |
 sleep |  Delay for a specified time |
 slocate |  Find files |
 sort |  Sort text files |
 source |  Run commands from a file |
 split |  Split a file into fixed-size pieces |
 ssh |  Secure Shell client (remote login program) |
 strace |  Trace system calls and signals |
 su |  Substitute user identity |
 sudo |  Execute a command as another user |
 sum |  Print a checksum for a file |
 suspend |  Suspend execution of this shell |
 symlink |  Make a new name for a file |
 sync |  Synchronize data on disk with memory |
T | |
 tail |  Output the last part of file |
 tar |  Tape Archiver |
 tee |  Redirect output to multiple files |
 test |  Evaluate a conditional expression |
 time |  Measure Program running time |
 times |  User and system times |
 touch |  Change file timestamps |
 top |  List processes running on the system |
 traceroute |  Trace Route to Host |
 trap |  Run a command when a signal is set(bourne) |
 tr |  Translate, squeeze, and/or delete characters |
 true |  Do nothing, successfully |
 tsort |  Topological sort |
 tty |  Print filename of terminal on stdin |
 type |  Describe a command |
U | |
 ulimit |  Limit user resources |
 umask |  Users file creation mask |
 umount |  Unmount a device |
 unalias |  Remove an alias |
 uname |  Print system information |
 unexpand |  Convert spaces to tabs |
 uniq |  Uniquify files |
 units |  Convert units from one scale to another |
 unset |  Remove variable or function names |
 unshar |  Unpack shell archive scripts |
 until |  Execute commands (until error) |
 uptime |  Show uptime |
 useradd |  Create new user account |
 usermod |  Modify user account |
 users |  List users currently logged in |
 uuencode |  Encode a binary file |
 uudecode |  Decode a file created by uuencode |
V | |
 v |  Verbosely list directory contents (`ls -l -b’) |
 vdir |  Verbosely list directory contents (`ls -l -b’) |
 vi |  Text Editor |
 vmstat |  Report virtual memory statistics |
W | |
 wait |  Wait for a process to complete |
 watch |  Execute/display a program periodically |
 wc |  Print byte, word, and line counts |
 whereis |  Search the user’s $path, man pages and source files for a program |
 which |  Search the user’s $path for a program file |
 while |  Execute commands |
 who |  Print all usernames currently logged in |
 whoami |  Print the current user id and name (`id -un’) |
 wget |  Retrieve web pages or files via HTTP, HTTPS or FTP |
 write |  Send a message to another user |
X | |
 xargs |  Execute utility, passing constructed argument lists |
 xdg-open |  Open a file or URL in the user’s preferred application |
Y | |
 yes |  Print a string until interrupted |
Do mention in the comments below if we have missed any Kali Linux Commands that you may know
Also read :Â 10 most lethal Linux commands you should never execute
I expected a list of Kali related command line tools related to pentesting. This is just a list of linux command line tools.
That all are simple Linux command only
Come on guys you already have enough posts.